What If a Fish
Anika Fajardo
What If a Fish
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Anika Fajardo
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Eddie’s family is full of surprises—like hats that turn into leeches and ghosts that blow kisses from lemon trees! He thought being Colombian was simple, but when he travels to Colombia for the first time, everything feels upside down. Can Eddie discover what really makes him who he is?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of family, identity, and cultural heritage through the story of Eddie, a half-Colombian boy coming to terms with his roots after the loss of his father. The story blends magical realism with real emotional challenges, making it suitable for readers aged 9-12 who can handle thoughtful reflections on grief and self-discovery. There are no intense content warnings, but parents should be aware of its nuanced exploration of cultural identity and family dynamics.
Why we rated What If a Fish 11ME
What If a Fish is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, What If a Fish works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate What If a Fish as 11ME ("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, thematic difficulty — 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 If a Fish explores family, identity & self-discovery, multicultural, coming of age, and magical realism — 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 9-12 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 family, identity & self-discovery, multicultural.
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
11ME — 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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781534449831
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction