Chasing at the surface
Sharon Mentyka
Chasing at the surface
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel
by Sharon Mentyka
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The cold water splashes against her face as she races along the rocky shore, heart pounding. The trapped orcas call out, their cries echoing through the inlet, and she knows she must do something—before it’s too late. But what can one girl really do against the tide of danger closing in?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows a twelve-year-old girl grappling with the emotional challenge of her mother’s move while confronting the urgent crisis of orca whales trapped near her home in the Pacific Northwest. It sensitively explores themes of family, loss, and connection to nature, suitable for readers ages 9 to 12. Parents should note the story contains emotional moments related to separation and environmental concern but no graphic content.
Why we rated Chasing at the surface 11LE
Chasing at the surface is written at a Level 6 reading level across 227 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Chasing at the surface works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Chasing at the surface as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Chasing at the surface explores whales, mothers and daughters, families, interpersonal relations, and juvenile fiction — 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 whales, mothers and daughters, families.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" 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
- 9781943328604
- Pages
- 227
- Publisher
- West Winds Press
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction