Don't look now
Paul Jennings
Don't look now
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Paul Jennings
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Ricky is sprinting down the runway, heart pounding as the wind whips past him. The plane’s engine roars louder—will he really take off or crash before he even leaves the ground? Just when you think he’s done for, something unbelievable happens!
Quick Assessment
Don't Look Now is the first book in a humorous middle-grade series by Paul Jennings and Andrew Weldon, centered around Ricky's daring adventures with flying. Suitable for ages 7 and up, the story blends lighthearted family themes with exciting moments, encouraging readers to embrace risks and courage. The book contains playful humor and mild suspense but no intense content.
Why we rated Don't look now 11C
Don't look now is written at a Level 6 reading level across 265 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Don't look now works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Don't look now as 11C ("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, Don't look now explores humor, adventure, family, 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 humor, adventure, family.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 9781743311233
- Pages
- 265
- Publisher
- Allen & Unwin
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction