Keeping the City Going
Brian Floca
Keeping the City Going
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Brian Floca
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Have you ever wondered who keeps the city alive when everyone has to stay inside? The streets look different—quiet and almost empty—but some special people are still out there. Who are they, and how do they keep everything running when the world feels paused?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This gently illustrated picture book by Brian Floca honors the essential workers who keep cities functioning during the COVID-19 quarantine. Aimed at early readers ages 5-8, it offers a thoughtful look at community roles and the changes in everyday life during the pandemic. The book is appropriate for young children, with no graphic content, and provides a comforting perspective on a complex moment in history.
Why we rated Keeping the City Going 7LE
Keeping the City Going is written at a Level 2 reading level across 36 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Keeping the City Going works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate Keeping the City Going as 7LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Keeping the City Going explores history, cities and towns, family, community, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 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 history, cities and towns, family.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
7LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 9781534493780
- Pages
- 36
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2021
- Type
- Nonfiction