Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Still a work in progress
Johanna Knowles
Still a work in progress
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Johanna Knowles
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The soft, cool feel of clay slips through Noah’s fingers as he shapes his worries into something he can control. School is loud and confusing, and his friends don’t always make sense. But at home, something feels even harder to understand — his sister Emma’s strange new rules and quiet struggles.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel sensitively explores the challenges a seventh-grade boy faces as he navigates typical school life while coping with his older sister’s eating disorder. Written for early readers around ages 5-8, it portrays family dynamics and adolescent struggles with empathy and hope. Parents should note the themes of eating disorders and family crisis, presented thoughtfully and without graphic detail.
Why we rated Still a work in progress 8IE
Still a work in progress is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 660L across 311 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Still a work in progress works for readers up to grade 5.5.
We rate Still a work in progress as 8IE ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Eating Disorder.
Thematically, Still a work in progress explores family, coming of age, health & daily living, and sibling relationships — 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.
- ✓ 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 family, coming of age, health & daily living.
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
8IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780763672171
- Pages
- 311
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction
- Lexile
- 660L