What reading level is the Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) series?

Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) books are at a grades 5–6 reading level (average grade level 5.9), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9–12. There are 2 books in the series.

What order should I read the Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) books?

Series numbers aren't available for most Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Insects (1997); Our home (1997).

What age is the Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) series appropriate for?

HootRated recommends Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) 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.

Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) Books in Order

Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) is a 2-book series by John Woodward for ages 9–12, at a grades 5–6 reading level, with gentle content (HootRated intensity 1/5).

Books: 2; By publication date
Reading level: Grades 5–6; Average grade level 5.9
Recommended ages: Ages 9–12; From HootRated age ratings
Content intensity: Gentle; HootRated 1/5

Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) Reading Order

Series numbers aren't available for most Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).

#	Title	Reading Level	Ages	Content
1	Insects 1997	Level 5-6	9-12	Gentle
2	Our home 1997	Level 6	9-12	Gentle

Content Intensity Across the Series

Consistent

Content stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.

First book Latest book

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. Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) (2 books by John Woodward) lands at a grades 5–6 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 Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) Books

Insects

John Woodward

Insects

John Woodward

Level 5-6

Our home

John Woodward

Our home

John Woodward

Level 6 Gentle

Series Like Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens): What to Read Next

Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.

Questions about the Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) series

What reading level is the Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) series?: Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) books are at a grades 5–6 reading level (average grade level 5.9), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9–12. There are 2 books in the series.
What order should I read the Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) books?: Series numbers aren't available for most Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Insects (1997); Our home (1997).
What age is the Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) series appropriate for?: HootRated recommends Under the Microscope (Gareth Stevens) 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.