The life fantastic
Liza Ketchum
The life fantastic
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel in Three Acts
by Liza Ketchum
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 mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The scent of old wooden theaters and the buzzing hum of a distant piano fill the air as Teresa steps onto the creaky stage. She imagined bright lights and applause, but the road ahead is full of surprises she never expected. Can her dreams shine through the shadows of a changing world?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in 1913, this middle-grade novel follows Teresa, a young girl from Vermont who pursues her dream of joining a vaudeville troupe. The story explores themes of performing arts, historical race relations, and the realities behind show business in early 20th-century America. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers an engaging look at history with some complex social issues presented thoughtfully.
Why we rated The life fantastic 11MS
The life fantastic is written at a Level 6 reading level across 256 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The life fantastic works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The life fantastic as 11MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from social complexity — 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, The life fantastic explores performing arts, history, race relations, and coming of age — 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 performing arts, history, race relations.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MS — Moderate — SocialLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" 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
- 9781440598760
- Pages
- 256
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction