Close to the wind

Name: Close to the wind
Author: Jon Walter
ISBN: 9780545816625

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Jon Walter

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

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to leave everything behind and start over in a new place? Imagine a boy whose life is turned upside down by war, finding hope and friendship where he least expects it. But will he ever feel truly safe again?

Themes

RefugeesOrphansFamily FriendshipJuvenile fiction

Quick Assessment

Close to the Wind follows a young boy's journey as he navigates life as a refugee, facing challenges of loss and displacement while building new connections. Suitable for ages 9-12, this story sensitively explores themes of family, resilience, and belonging without graphic content. Parents should note the emotional depth surrounding topics like war and orphanhood, presented thoughtfully for middle-grade readers.

Why we rated Close to the wind ME (Moderate)

Close to the wind is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 290 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Close to the wind on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Close to the wind 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, Close to the wind explores refugees, orphans, family, friendship, 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about refugees, orphans, family.

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

Mild

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?