The whatnot
Stefan Bachmann
The whatnot
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Stefan Bachmann
The text is written at a 8th 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
Here's a secret: in a foggy, steam-powered London, faeries are hiding, hunted by humans. Pikey Thomas, who’s lost an eye and everything familiar, stumbles upon a wounded black-winged faery and decides to help. But that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a dark, steampunk Victorian London where faeries are outlawed, this fantasy novel follows 12-year-old Pikey Thomas as he encounters magical beings and navigates danger and prejudice. The story explores themes of bravery, friendship, and identity, with some mild peril appropriate for middle-grade readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the presence of bullying, hints of war, and a richly detailed, sometimes intense fantasy environment.
Why we rated The whatnot 12ME
The whatnot is written at a Level 8 reading level across 421 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The whatnot works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The whatnot as 12ME ("Moderate — 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, physical peril, 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, The whatnot explores fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship, coming of age, and magic — 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 fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship.
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
12ME — Moderate — 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
2/10A 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
- 9780062195227
- Pages
- 421
- Publisher
- Greenwillow Books
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction