Planting a Rainbow

Name: Planting a Rainbow
Author: Lois Ehlert
ISBN: 9780152063047

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Lap-Sized Board Book

by Lois Ehlert

Reading Level K-1 C · Gentle Ages 5-8 Matched

NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children

The text is written at a kindergarten reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Did you know you can grow a whole rainbow right in your backyard? A mother and child team up to plant bright flowers that turn their garden into a colorful masterpiece. Watch how each seed brings a splash of magic to their world—and why colors can make everything better.

Themes

Concepts - ColorsNature & the Natural WorldFamily

Quick Assessment

This charming picture book introduces young readers to colors and gardening through the story of a mother and child planting flowers together. Perfect for ages 5 to 8, it combines simple text with vibrant illustrations to engage early readers and spark interest in nature. There’s no intense content, making it a gentle and educational read for young children.

Why we rated Planting a Rainbow C (Gentle)

Planting a Rainbow is written at a Level K-1 reading level across 32 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 2 and up can manage Planting a Rainbow on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Planting a Rainbow as C (Gentle) because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, Planting a Rainbow explores concepts - colors, nature & the natural world, and family — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about concepts - colors, nature & the natural world, family.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Planting a Rainbow carries an award.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?