This is war
Margaret Stohl
This is war
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Margaret Stohl
Illustrated by Peterson, Kay, illustrator
The text is written at a 7th 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 soft purr of kittens fills the air, mingling with the hum of buzzing robots. On a tiny planet called Earth, a secret war is about to unfold between robotic overlords and sneaky feline spies. Can two very different twins find a way to stop the chaos before it’s too late?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel blends humor and adventure with STEM themes like coding and robotics. It tells the story of twin siblings who must navigate a secret war between cats and robots while managing their sibling rivalry. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book encourages thinking beyond binaries and promotes cooperation, with no intense content to worry about.
Why we rated This is war 12LE
This is war is written at a Level 7 reading level across 307 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, This is war works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate This is war as 12LE ("Light — 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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, This is war explores cats, twins, sibling relationships, inventions, and stem — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about cats, twins, sibling relationships.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062665706
- Pages
- 307
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction