Related: [Finding Great Books at the Right Level](https://parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/6478/finding-great-books-at-the-right-level)

Of course various books have generic maturity levels. But all children are different, and so are all books; so general guidelines aren't always useful - I frequently encounter content that children theoretically aren't ready for yet, but greatly enjoy.

**What are good guidelines to evaluate if your child is ready for a specific book's content?**

---

NOTE: I don't care about the factor of being able to read the text - first, my kids reading level is well above their age, second I can read to them if the book is worth it but they struggle with more advanced text.

I already saw [this question](https://parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/11350/how-does-one-go-about-determining-if-a-child-adolescent-or-teen-is-capable-of-u?rq=1) which seems like a duplicate, but whose answer addresses the opposite problem - is the child ready for the reading level of the book, as opposed to the content; AND doesn't really deal with specific child's capabilities. What I'm looking for is a process I can use to evaluate a specific book in terms of "is it too early to give to this specific child", not "is there a generic guideline that an average 3rd grader would understand 80% of the book".
['https://parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/12795', 'https://parenting.stackexchange.com', 'https://parenting.stackexchange.com/users/604/']
Check out your library!

* Libraries have librarians who are trained to help with reader's advisory. In a big enough library, you will find the librarians read a lot of kids' books - the will ask your child questions about what they have liked in the past and what their interests are, and they will give customized recommendations. (They do this for adults too!)
* Libraries also supply access to specialized databases like NoveList, where you can select all sorts of parameters in order to get reading suggestions.
* Library catalogs often have reviews within their catalog which have been done by professional review sources (School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, etc.) to help you with your selections.
* The librarian will happily teach you how to use NoveList or the catalog or whatever other resources they have.
* Books from the library are free. You can take a whole stack home, and after reading a few pages, if the book is not something your child is interested, he can set it aside and pick a different one from the pile. If he finds a series or author he likes, he can bring home a bunch at once!
I am inclined to say the biggest factor for determining if a child is ready for a certain book is their interest level. There is little harm in allowing them to *try* the first couple of pages of a book. If the content interests them they may wish to continue with the story. If they are disinterested, they'll know it and you'll know it.

As you implied, having the ability to *read* the words written on the page is one thing, but having the ability to comprehend and enjoy what is written is completely different. I think you will have to do usability tests on individual books, especially since interests in one genre could vary widely. You will need to get a feel for the patterns of what your child reads and finds interesting.

I am also inclined to say that a good tool for determining this is communication. Ask your child up front what they are interested in. From your consistent querying of what their interests are, you will begin to pick up on the type of content they favor.