I Was There Books in Order
I Was There is a 2-book series by Shelley Tanaka for ages 9–12, at a grades 4–7 reading level, with gentle content (HootRated intensity 1/5).
- Books
- 2
- By publication date
- Content intensity
- Gentle
- HootRated 1/5
I Was There Reading Order
Series numbers aren't available for most I Was There books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).
| # | Title | Reading Level | Ages | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Was There What was it Like to Find a 5,300-year-old Mummy? 1997 | Level 4-5 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 2 | Graveyards of the dinosaurs 1998 | Level 6-7 | 9-12 | Gentle |
Content Intensity Across the Series
ConsistentContent stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.
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. I Was There (2 books by Shelley Tanaka) lands at a grades 4–7 reading level, with average content intensity 1/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.
The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings 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.
All I Was There Books
Series Like I Was There: What to Read Next
Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.
- Discovering Dinosaurs (Smart Apple Media) by Sandy Fritz 5 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle content
- Extreme Machines (Rosen/PowerKids); PowerKids Press by Ian F. Mahaney 5 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle content
- Birdbooks by George K. Peck 7 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle content
- Insects and Spiders by Shane F. McEvey 5 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle content
- Rocks and Minerals (ABDO); Core Library by Jenny Fretland VanVoorst 5 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle content
- True Book: National Parks by Josh Gregory 6 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle content
Questions about the I Was There series
- What reading level is the I Was There series?
- I Was There books are at a grades 4–7 reading level (average grade level 5.7), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9–12. There are 2 books in the series.
- What order should I read the I Was There books?
- Series numbers aren't available for most I Was There books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: I Was There: What was it Like to Find a 5,300-year-old Mummy? (1997); Graveyards of the dinosaurs (1998).
- What age is the I Was There series appropriate for?
- HootRated recommends I Was There for ages 9–12. Content is gentle (HootRated intensity 1/5). Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.