Wild Child
Don Mordasini
Wild Child
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
How You Can Help Your Child with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Other Behavioral Disorders
by Don Mordasini
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
I have a secret to share about kids who seem to zoom through life in a whirlwind of energy and ideas. They notice the world differently, sometimes getting distracted or feeling restless, but that's only the beginning of their amazing story.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Wild Child offers a clear and compassionate look at Attention Deficit Disorder in children and adolescents, written to be accessible for parents, grandparents, and professionals alike. It explains common symptoms and thinking patterns, and provides practical strategies to support children dealing with hyperactivity and inattention. This book is appropriate for adults seeking to better understand and help children with ADD, without heavy medical jargon.
Why we rated Wild Child 11LE
Wild Child is written at a Level 6 reading level across 266 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Wild Child works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Wild Child as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, Wild Child explores neurodivergent characters, family, and mental health — 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 neurodivergent characters, family, mental health.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
11LE — Light — EmotionalNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 9780789011015
- Pages
- 266
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Published
- 2001
- Type
- Nonfiction