What child is this?
Caroline B. Cooney
What child is this?
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Christmas Story
by Caroline B. Cooney
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
On a snowy Christmas Eve, Katie, a foster child longing for a true family, finds hope in unexpected places. Teenagers Matt and Liz each face their own struggles with the holiday season, while an innkeeper and his son create a magical tree filled with children's wishes. Together, their stories intertwine in a heartwarming tale of kindness, hope, and the true spirit of Christmas.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include divorce & family change, loneliness, hope. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated What child is this? 10LE
What child is this? is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 150 pages (approximately 30,948 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, What child is this? works for readers up to grade 7.3.
Read aloud, What child is this? runs about 3.4 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate What child is this? as 10LE ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Divorce & Family Change, Loneliness, Hope.
Thematically, What child is this? explores foster care, family, friendship, holiday, and hope — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about foster care, family, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0385323174
- Pages
- 150
- Publisher
- Delacorte Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 1997
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 30,948
- Read-Aloud
- ~3h 26m
- Text Density
- Standard