His father still
Tim Hollister
His father still
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Parenting Memoir
by Tim Hollister
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 intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
Tim’s heart races as he watches Reid behind the wheel for the first time, nerves twisting inside him. The unexpected call shatters the quiet night—something's wrong, but what? The story is just starting, and everything is about to change.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores the profound journey of a father coping with the sudden loss of his teenage son. It thoughtfully addresses themes of grief, family relationships, and healing after tragedy, making it appropriate for readers aged 9-12 who can handle sensitive emotional content. Parents should be aware that the book delves into complex psychological and social issues related to bereavement and adolescent challenges.
Why we rated His father still 12IE
His father still is written at a Level 7 reading level across 306 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, His father still works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate His father still as 12IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity, thematic difficulty — 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 intense intensity score.
Thematically, His father still explores bereavement, parent and teenager, grief, psychological aspects, and coming of age — 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 bereavement, parent and teenager, grief.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Was our "Intense" 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
- 9780786756315
- Pages
- 306
- Publisher
- Rsh LLC
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Nonfiction