This journal belongs to Ratchet

Name: This journal belongs to Ratchet
Author: Nancy J. Cavanaugh
ISBN: 9781402281068

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Nancy J. Cavanaugh

Reading Level 5-6 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th 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.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links.

About This Book

Rachel 'Ratchet' Vance is not your average kid — she's a mechanic's daughter, an environmentalist's sidekick, and a determined friend-maker all rolled into one. As she juggles saving a park and remembering her mom, she shows that being 'normal' is really about finding what makes you, you.

Themes

Home schoolingDiariesFathers and daughtersFriendship Family Coming of AgeEnvironmentalism

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows 11-year-old Rachel, nicknamed Ratchet, as she navigates homeschooling, environmental activism, and personal loss. Suitable for ages 9-12, it thoughtfully explores themes of family, friendship, and self-discovery without intense content. Parents can expect a warm, relatable story about a unique family dynamic and a child's journey toward understanding herself.

Why we rated This journal belongs to Ratchet LE (Mild)

This journal belongs to Ratchet is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 307 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage This journal belongs to Ratchet on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate This journal belongs to Ratchet 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.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, This journal belongs to Ratchet explores home schooling, diaries, fathers and daughters, friendship, and family — 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 home schooling, diaries, fathers and daughters.

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

Mild

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.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?