How Do I Draw These Memories
Jonell Joshua
How Do I Draw These Memories
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
An Illustrated Memoir
by Jonell Joshua
The text is written at a 8th 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.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
What happens when your memories are both beautiful and hard to hold onto? Imagine living between two homes, with love that stretches across miles and challenges. Can art help capture the moments that matter most, even when life feels uncertain?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This illustrated memoir explores the experiences of a child navigating family challenges, including a parent's mental illness, through the lens of nostalgia, faith, and unconditional love. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it offers a hopeful and heartfelt perspective on family resilience without graphic content. Parents should note the themes of mental health and family hardship are handled thoughtfully and sensitively.
Why we rated How Do I Draw These Memories 12ME
How Do I Draw These Memories is written at a Level 8 reading level across 424 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, How Do I Draw These Memories works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate How Do I Draw These Memories as 12ME ("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, How Do I Draw These Memories explores family, coming of age, mental health, multicultural, and faith — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, coming of age, mental health.
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
12ME — 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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
How to Remember
Jennifer Kosuda
How to Remember
Jennifer Kosuda
Remembering When I Was Young
Carole Carson
Remembering When I Was Young
Carole Carson
How to Draw
Karen McKee, Georgene Griffin, Robin Lee Makowski
How to Draw
Karen McKee, Georgene Griffin, Robin Lee Makowski
The Memory Maker
Lara Shelter
The Memory Maker
Lara Shelter
Memories to Treasure
Danielle Joy Linhart
Memories to Treasure
Danielle Joy Linhart
Memories Forever
Jill Lee
Memories Forever
Jill Lee
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781646142712
- Pages
- 424
- Publisher
- Arthur A. Levine
- Published
- 2023
- Type
- Fiction