What Can I Do?
Danielle Lowry
What Can I Do?
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Book for Children of Divorce
by Danielle Lowry
Illustrated by Bonnie J. Matthews
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The soft rustle of paper echoes in the quiet school counselor's office as a little girl clutches her worries close. She tries every idea she can think of to stop her family from breaking apart, feeling the weight of hope and fear tangled inside her. Sometimes, the hardest feelings are the ones we don’t want to face, but they lead to new understanding.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This gentle story follows a young girl grappling with her parents' divorce, exploring her feelings and misconceptions. It sensitively addresses the emotional impact of family separation for early readers, emphasizing that children are not to blame. Appropriate for ages 5-8, it offers a reassuring message supported by the guidance of a school counselor.
Why we rated What Can I Do? 7ME
What Can I Do? is written at a Level 2 reading level across 46 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, What Can I Do? works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate What Can I Do? as 7ME ("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 — 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, What Can I Do? explores family, divorce & separation, emotional growth, and support systems — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, divorce & separation, emotional growth.
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
7ME — 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
1/10A 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
- 9781557987709
- Pages
- 46
- Publisher
- Magination Press
- Published
- July 2001
- Type
- Fiction