Be what you want to be!
Phyllis Fiarotta
Be what you want to be!
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Complete Dress-up and Pretend Craft Book
by Phyllis Fiarotta
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
What if you could become anything you dreamed of just by making the right tools? Imagine crafting your own instruments to be a musician, disguises to solve mysteries like a private eye, or gear to capture moments as a photographer. Every project brings you closer to your next big adventure—but which path will you choose?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This interactive book offers over two hundred craft projects designed to inspire children to explore various occupations through hands-on creativity. Suitable for ages 9-12, it encourages imaginative role-play and skill development without any challenging content. Parents can expect a safe, engaging resource that promotes fine motor skills and occupational awareness.
Why we rated Be what you want to be! 12C
Be what you want to be! is written at a Level 7 reading level across 304 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Be what you want to be! works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Be what you want to be! as 12C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, Be what you want to be! explores handicraft, occupations, creativity, and role play — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about handicraft, occupations, creativity.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0911104941
- Pages
- 304
- Publisher
- Workman Publishing
- Published
- 1977
- Type
- Nonfiction