We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(3) Base Camp
The language in Feathers is super simple and easy to follow… which makes sense, because it's told by a sixth-grader for readers who are about the same age. And in a lot of ways, the book touches on relatively easy-to-understand issues that any kid goes through, like finding a community, making friends, and trying to figure out his or her place in the family.
But at the same time, Feathers discusses themes that require a little more thought, such as race relations in the United States and what it means to have segregated communities. So while it's a book for younger readers, it's not for those who are looking for something fluffy and mindless.