Web of Air
Philip Reeve
Web of Air
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Philip Reeve
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
Fever Crumb is not just any engineer—she's the only one who can help build a flying machine that could change everything. In a city clinging to cliffs and crawling with danger, her skills might be the only thing standing between hope and disaster. But when enemies lurk in every shadow, can she keep her secret safe?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set two years after Fever Crumb's escape from a war-torn London, this middle-grade science fiction novel follows her to the cliffside city of Mayda, where she helps build an innovative flying machine. The story includes themes of adventure, technology, and resilience, with some conflict and peril appropriate for readers ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of tension and danger but no graphic content.
Why we rated Web of Air 12LP
Web of Air is written at a Level 7 reading level across 304 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Web of Air works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Web of Air as 12LP ("Light — Physical") 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, Web of Air explores adventure, science & nature, technology, flight, and fantasy world-building — 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 adventure, science & nature, technology.
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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LP — Light — PhysicalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9781407180229
- Pages
- 304
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction