Depressed Child
Douglas A. Riley
Depressed Child
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Parent's Guide for Rescusing Kids
by Douglas A. Riley
The text is written at a 6th 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
Have you ever wondered what it feels like when sadness won’t go away? Imagine feeling heavy inside, even when everything around you seems normal. What secrets hide behind the quiet moments of a child’s heart?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction book explores the inner thoughts and emotions that can contribute to depression in children and teenagers. It provides insight into common patterns of thinking and presents a balanced overview of professional treatment options, including counseling and medication. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers a thoughtful resource for families navigating mental health challenges.
Why we rated Depressed Child 11ME
Depressed Child is written at a Level 6 reading level across 208 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Depressed Child works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Depressed Child as 11ME ("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, Depressed Child explores family, mental health, parenting, and depression — 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 family, mental health, parenting.
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
11ME — 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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780878331871
- Pages
- 208
- Publisher
- Taylor Trade Publishing
- Published
- February 25, 2001
- Type
- Fiction