All that remains
Bruce Brooks
All that remains
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Bruce Brooks
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The ball soars through the air, and everything feels frozen—until it all changes in a heartbeat. Suddenly, life isn’t the same anymore, and a secret waits just around the corner. What happens when everything you know disappears?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This collection of three novellas explores how young characters cope with death and loss in their lives, offering a sensitive look at grief appropriate for ages 9-12. The stories also weave in elements of sports and personal growth, making them relatable and thought-provoking for middle-grade readers. Parents should note the themes of death are handled thoughtfully but may prompt questions about loss and emotions.
Why we rated All that remains 9ME
All that remains is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 168 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, All that remains works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate All that remains as 9ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, All that remains explores death, sports, coming of age, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about death, sports, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0689833512
- Pages
- 168
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2001
- Type
- Fiction