Plank's law
Lesley Choyce
Plank's law
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Lesley Choyce
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Trevor isn’t just fighting Huntington’s disease—he’s rewriting what it means to truly live. When an unexpected friendship with an old man sparks new courage, Trevor discovers that even the toughest challenges can’t stop him from finding joy. This story shows why every moment counts.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Plank's Law follows Trevor, a young boy living with Huntington's disease, as he forms a meaningful friendship with an elderly man who helps him embrace life despite his illness. Suitable for children aged 9-12, this middle-grade novel sensitively addresses themes of terminal illness and personal growth without graphic content. Parents should note the exploration of serious health challenges and emotional resilience.
Why we rated Plank's law 9IE
Plank's law is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 179 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Plank's law works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Plank's law as 9IE ("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, Plank's law explores friendship, coming of age, terminal illness, and juvenile fiction — 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 friendship, coming of age, terminal illness.
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
9IE — 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
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
- 9781459812499
- Pages
- 179
- Publisher
- Orca Book Publishers
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction