List of Things That Will Not Change
Rebecca Stead
List of Things That Will Not Change
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Rebecca Stead
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if everything around you was changing, but some things stayed the same? Bea is holding onto her special list of unchanging truths, even as her family grows in ways she never expected. How will Bea's heart adjust when a new sister arrives just in time for the wedding?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel gently explores themes of family change, divorce, and acceptance through the eyes of Bea, a girl navigating her parents' divorce and her father's upcoming marriage to his boyfriend. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers a warm, thoughtful look at blended families and LGBTQ+ representation, with positive messages about love and resilience. There is no intense content, making it appropriate for young readers dealing with similar family dynamics.
Why we rated List of Things That Will Not Change 11ME
List of Things That Will Not Change is written at a Level 6 reading level across 224 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, List of Things That Will Not Change works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate List of Things That Will Not Change as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, List of Things That Will Not Change explores family, divorce, lgbtq+ representation, coming of age, and friendship — 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 family, divorce, lgbtq+ representation.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781101938119
- Pages
- 224
- Publisher
- Wendy Lamb Books
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction