What Was.../What Is...? Books in Order
6 books by Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ. Reading level: Grades 5–5.9. 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. What Was.../What Is...? (6 books by Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ) lands at reading level Grades 5–5.9, with average content intensity 2.3/5.
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 Gentle to Moderate across the series.
What Was.../What Is...? Reading Order
| # | Title | Reading Level | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What Is the Civil Rights Movement? Sherri L. Smith | Level 5-6 | Moderate |
| 2 | What Is the Panama Canal? Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
| 3 | What Was the Great Chicago Fire? Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ | Level 5 | Mild |
| 4 | What Was the Great Depression? Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ | Level 5-6 | Moderate |
| 5 | What Was the Hindenburg? Janet B. Pascal | Level 5-6 | Moderate |
| 6 | What Was the Wild West? Janet B. Pascal | Level 5-6 | Mild |
All What Was.../What Is...? Books
What Is the Civil Rights Movement?
Sherri L. Smith
What Is the Civil Rights Movement?
Sherri L. Smith
What Is the Panama Canal?
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
What Is the Panama Canal?
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
What Was the Great Chicago Fire?
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
What Was the Great Chicago Fire?
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
What Was the Great Depression?
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
What Was the Great Depression?
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
What Was the Hindenburg?
Janet B. Pascal
What Was the Hindenburg?
Janet B. Pascal
What Was the Wild West?
Janet B. Pascal
What Was the Wild West?
Janet B. Pascal
Questions about the What Was.../What Is...? series
- What reading level is the What Was.../What Is...? series?
- The What Was.../What Is...? series by Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ is at a Grades 5–5.9 reading level (average Grade 5.5). Intended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). There are 6 books in the series.
- What order should I read the What Was.../What Is...? books?
- The reading-order table above lists all 6 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 What Was.../What Is...? series appropriate for?
- The What Was.../What Is...? series is recommended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). The average content intensity is 2.3/5. 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.