House held up by trees

Ted Kooser

Cover of House held up by trees

House held up by trees

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

not far from here, I have seen a house held up by the hands of trees. This is its story

by Ted Kooser

Reading Level 4-5 Gentle (Lvl 1) Ages 5-8 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

A family builds a home where no trees grow, but the children are drawn to the nearby woods by the fresh smell of wild trees. As the forest slowly returns, the children discover the magic of nature reclaiming its space, even as their father struggles to keep it away. This gentle tale explores the changing relationship between people and the land around them.

Themes

FamilyNatureForest RegenerationComing of Age

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 5-8.

For Parents

Content Intensity

Level 1 — Gentle
Gentle Mild Moderate Intense Very Intense

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
2
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
6

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Details

Book Length

1,028 words
7m read-aloud
ISBN
9780763651077
Publisher
Candlewick Press
Published
2012
Type
Fiction
Word Count
1,028
Read-Aloud
~7 min

Subjects

Abandoned HousesForest RegenerationHousesTree HousesTreesNature StoriesDwellingsLossChangeNature