The pants project

Name: The pants project
Author: Cat Clarke
ISBN: 9781492638094

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Cat Clarke

Reading Level 4-5 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Liv is determined to challenge the school rule that says girls must wear skirts, sparking a brave journey to be true to himself. Along the way, Liv discovers the strength to share his identity as a boy with his loving moms. This empowering story celebrates courage, family, and standing up for what feels right.

Challenged Book

About & Banning Context

Ages 9–12

In this heartfelt and humorous middle-grade novel, eleven-year-old Liv is determined to confront his school's restrictive dress code, which forces him to wear skirts instead of the pants he prefers. Liv identifies as transgender and feels strongly that he was meant to be a boy. As he embarks on his quest, dubbed the 'Pants Project,' he aims not only to alter the dress code but also to assert his identity and make a significant change in his life. Through Liv's journey, readers are encouraged to understand themes of self-acceptance and the importance of standing up for oneself in the face of adversity.

Key Themes

identity self-acceptance school policies courage transgender issues

Awards & Accolades (4)

● Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (2018)
● 2022 Massachusetts Children’s Book Award (2021)
● Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Awards Nominee (2020)
● Amelia Bloomer Project Nominee (2018)

Reviewed By

★ School Library Journal ★ Kirkus Reviews ★ Horn Book

Source: Unite Against Book Bans — The pants project

Themes

LGBTQ+ Representation Family Coming of Age Social JusticeSchool Life

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include identity & self-discovery, family change. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated The pants project LE (Mild)

The pants project is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 267 pages (approximately 43,282 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage The pants project on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

Read aloud, The pants project runs about 4.8 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate The pants project as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Identity & Self-Discovery, Family Change.

Thematically, The pants project explores lgbtq+ representation, family, coming of age, social justice, and school life — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about lgbtq+ representation, family, coming of age.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

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

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.