Understanding Issues Books in Order
8 books by Gail Stewart. Reading level: Grades 4.3–5.7. 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. Understanding Issues (8 books by Gail Stewart) lands at reading level Grades 4.3–5.7, with average content intensity 2.9/5.
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.
Content Intensity Across the Series
VariesContent intensity ranges from Mild to Intense across the series.
Understanding Issues Reading Order
| # | Title | Reading Level | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Child abuse Gail Stewart | Level 5-6 | Intense |
| 2 | Death Gail Stewart | Level 5 | Moderate |
| 3 | Drugs (Understanding Issues) Gail Stewart | Level 4-5 | Moderate |
| 4 | Gangs Gail Stewart | Level 4-5 | Moderate |
| 5 | Understanding Issues - Divorce (Understanding Issues) Gail B. Stewart | Level 4-5 | Moderate |
| 6 | Understanding Issues - Peer Pressure (Understanding Issues) Gail B. Stewart | Level 5 | Mild |
| 7 | Understanding Issues - Smoking (Understanding Issues) Gail B. Stewart | Level 4-5 | Mild |
| 8 | Understanding Issues - Terrorism (Understanding Issues) Gail B. 1949 Stewart, Gail B. Stewart | Level 5-6 | Moderate |
All Understanding Issues Books
Child abuse
Gail Stewart
Child abuse
Gail Stewart
Death
Gail Stewart
Death
Gail Stewart
Drugs (Understanding Issues)
Gail Stewart
Drugs (Understanding Issues)
Gail Stewart
Gangs
Gail Stewart
Gangs
Gail Stewart
Understanding Issues - Divorce (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. Stewart
Understanding Issues - Divorce (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. Stewart
Understanding Issues - Peer Pressure (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. Stewart
Understanding Issues - Peer Pressure (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. Stewart
Understanding Issues - Smoking (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. Stewart
Understanding Issues - Smoking (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. Stewart
Understanding Issues - Terrorism (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. 1949 Stewart, Gail B. Stewart
Understanding Issues - Terrorism (Understanding Issues)
Gail B. 1949 Stewart, Gail B. Stewart
Questions about the Understanding Issues series
- What reading level is the Understanding Issues series?
- The Understanding Issues series by Gail Stewart is at a Grades 4.3–5.7 reading level (average Grade 4.9). Intended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). There are 8 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Understanding Issues books?
- The reading-order table above lists all 8 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 Understanding Issues series appropriate for?
- The Understanding Issues series is recommended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). The average content intensity is 2.9/5. 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.