What reading level is the 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series?

The 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series by Susan Heinrichs Gray is at a Grades 5.7–6.9 reading level (average Grade 6.4). Intended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). There are 4 books in the series.

What order should I read the 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers books?

The 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series has 4 books in order: 1. Crime scene investigator, 2. Forensic Psychologist, 3. Forensic Science Investigator, 4. Storm chaser.

21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers Books in Order

4 books by Susan Heinrichs Gray. Reading level: Grades 5.7–6.9. Middle Grades (Ages 9–12).

Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers (4 books by Susan Heinrichs Gray) lands at reading level Grades 5.7–6.9, with average content intensity 1.3/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series — a kid who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.

The reading-order table below lists every book with per-volume reading level and intensity badges so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.

Books

Grades 5.7–6.9

Reading Level

1.3/5

Avg. Intensity

Middle Grades

Content Intensity Across the Series

Consistent

Content stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.

First book Latest book

21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers Reading Order

#	Title	Reading Level	Content
1	Crime scene investigator Tamra Orr	Level 6-7	Gentle
2	Forensic Psychologist Susan Heinrichs Gray	Level 6-7	Gentle
3	Forensic Science Investigator Tamra B. Orr	Level 6-7	Gentle
4	Storm chaser Susan Heinrichs Gray	Level 5-6	Mild

All 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers Books

Crime scene investigator

Tamra Orr

Crime scene investigator

Tamra Orr

Level 6-7 Gentle

Forensic Psychologist

Susan Heinrichs Gray

Forensic Psychologist

Susan Heinrichs Gray

Level 6-7

Forensic Science Investigator

Tamra B. Orr

Forensic Science Investigator

Tamra B. Orr

Level 6-7

Storm chaser

Susan Heinrichs Gray

Storm chaser

Susan Heinrichs Gray

Level 5-6 Mild

Questions about the 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series

What reading level is the 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series?: The 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series by Susan Heinrichs Gray is at a Grades 5.7–6.9 reading level (average Grade 6.4). Intended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). There are 4 books in the series.
What order should I read the 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers books?: The reading-order table above lists all 4 books with per-volume reading level and intensity ratings. Start with book 1 and read in publication order unless the table indicates a different recommended order for newer readers.
What age is the 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series appropriate for?: The 21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEAM Careers series is recommended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). The average content intensity is 1.3/5. Check the intensity trajectory above to see whether content gets heavier across the series — if it does, sensitive readers may want to stop earlier in the run.