All the things you are

Name: All the things you are
Author: Courtney Sheinmel
ISBN: 9781416997177

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Courtney Sheinmel

Reading Level 4-5 ME · Moderate · Emotional Ages 9-12 Matched

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. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Carly’s life changes overnight when her mom is arrested, turning her perfect world upside down. She faces broken friendships and money troubles that test her in ways she never expected. But how far will she go to hold her family together when everything falls apart?

Themes

Family FriendshipConduct of LifeStepfamiliesEmbezzlement

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows 12-year-old Carly as she navigates the fallout of her mother’s arrest for embezzlement, dealing with family upheaval, strained friendships, and financial challenges. It offers a realistic portrayal of complex family dynamics and personal resilience, suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should note themes of legal trouble and family stress, presented in an age-appropriate manner.

Why we rated All the things you are ME (Moderate)

All the things you are is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 244 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage All the things you are on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate All the things you are as ME (Moderate, mostly 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, social complexity — 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 the things you are explores family, friendship, conduct of life, stepfamilies, and embezzlement — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, friendship, conduct of life.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Gentle

Social

Moderate

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?