Now Is Good
Jenny Downham
Now Is Good
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jenny Downham
The text is written at a 7th 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
Tessa is only sixteen, but she’s racing against time to live every moment to the fullest. She’s made a list of daring adventures, with the very first one starting tonight. What would you do if you had only a little time left?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Now Is Good follows sixteen-year-old Tessa, who is facing a terminal illness and chooses to embrace life by completing a bucket list before she dies. The novel deals with themes of illness, mortality, and coming-of-age with emotional depth and sensitivity. Recommended for mature middle-grade readers (ages 9-12) who can handle serious topics like leukemia and end-of-life reflections.
Why we rated Now Is Good 12IE
Now Is Good is written at a Level 7 reading level across 336 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Now Is Good works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Now Is Good as 12IE ("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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Illness & Injury, Emotional Loss.
Thematically, Now Is Good explores coming of age, illness & injury, family, 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.
- ✓ 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, illness & injury, family.
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.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781849921381
- Pages
- 336
- Publisher
- Random House
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction