My Child Has Cancer
Della L. Howell
My Child Has Cancer
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Parent's Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survival
by Della L. Howell
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 intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
Here's a secret: sometimes, the scariest words a parent can hear are 'Your child has cancer.' But there's so much more to this story than fear—it's about courage, hope, and the fight to understand what comes next. And that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This informative book offers a compassionate and clear guide to understanding childhood cancer, written by a pediatric oncology specialist who is also a survivor and mother. It covers the types of cancers most common in children, treatments, side effects, and emotional support strategies for families. Suitable for middle-grade readers and their families, it provides age-appropriate explanations and addresses the emotional challenges faced during diagnosis and treatment.
Why we rated My Child Has Cancer 11IE
My Child Has Cancer is written at a Level 6 reading level across 217 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, My Child Has Cancer works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate My Child Has Cancer as 11IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Illness & Injury.
Thematically, My Child Has Cancer explores family, health & wellness, medical information, and emotional resilience — 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, health & wellness, medical information.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" 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
- 9780275996024
- Pages
- 217
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
- Published
- 2008
- Type
- Fiction