What Goes Up
Christine Heppermann
What Goes Up
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Christine Heppermann
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
The sharp scent of morning coffee drifts through the air as Jorie blinks open her eyes to a room she doesn’t recognize. Her heart pounds with questions—what happened last night, and how did she end up here? Every memory feels tangled, and the weight of mistakes presses down, leaving her wondering if forgiveness is even possible.
Themes
Quick Assessment
What Goes Up is a novel-in-verse exploring themes of family, betrayal, and self-forgiveness through the experiences of a teenage girl facing the fallout of her parents' divorce and her own difficult choices. Written for ages 13-18, the book deals with mature topics such as infidelity, relationship struggles, and emotional growth, presented with poetic intensity and wit. Parents should note the emotional complexity and some sensitive content around family conflict and romantic relationships.
Why we rated What Goes Up 9IE
What Goes Up is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 176 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, What Goes Up works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate What Goes Up as 9IE ("Intense — 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Family Change, Emotional Struggles.
Thematically, What Goes Up explores coming of age, family, marriage & divorce, and blended families — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, marriage & divorce.
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
9IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Up in the air
Ann Marie Meyers
Up in the air
Ann Marie Meyers
Ask me how I got here
Christine Heppermann
Ask me how I got here
Christine Heppermann
Let's Make It Go Up and Down
Carol M. Roye
Let's Make It Go Up and Down
Carol M. Roye
Going too far
Jennifer Echols
Going too far
Jennifer Echols
Morning is a Long Time Coming
Bette Greene
Morning is a Long Time Coming
Bette Greene
Going home
Roger Bullock
Going home
Roger Bullock
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062387981
- Pages
- 176
- Publisher
- Greenwillow Books
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction