How it feels to fly
Kathryn Holmes
How it feels to fly
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kathryn Holmes
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Sam was born to dance, but when her body starts changing in ways she can't control, everything she dreamed of feels out of reach. Battling fierce anxiety and painful insecurities, she’s sent to a place where strangers become her lifeline. Can she find the courage to believe in herself again before her dreams slip away?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel explores a teen girl's struggle with body dysmorphia, anxiety, and self-acceptance in the high-pressure world of ballet. Appropriate for ages 13-18, it sensitively portrays mental health challenges and group therapy experiences. Parents should note themes of panic attacks and emotional recovery within a supportive therapeutic setting.
Why we rated How it feels to fly 12IE
How it feels to fly is written at a Level 7 reading level across 362 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, How it feels to fly works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate How it feels to fly as 12IE ("Intense — 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, 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 moderate intensity score.
Thematically, How it feels to fly explores coming of age, mental health, friendship, family, and sports — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ 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 coming of age, mental health, friendship.
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
12IE — Intense — 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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062387349
- Pages
- 362
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction