The Sickness — Content Guide for Parents

Frequently asked questions

• Is The Sickness appropriate for a 7-year-old?

  The book involves a scenario where the character Ax is suffering from a virus that could be deadly, indicating a level of physical distress and potential danger. However, there are no explicit details about violence between characters. The narrative includes themes of illness and medical intervention, which may imply tension but does not depict violence in a traditional sense. The book does not contain genuinely frightening content. While the illness affecting Ax may create a sense of urgency, it does not feature elements intended to scare or disturb young readers.

• Does The Sickness have violence?

  The book involves a scenario where the character Ax is suffering from a virus that could be deadly, indicating a level of physical distress and potential danger. However, there are no explicit details about violence between characters. The narrative includes themes of illness and medical intervention, which may imply tension but does not depict violence in a traditional sense.

• Does The Sickness have scary content?

  The book does not contain genuinely frightening content. While the illness affecting Ax may create a sense of urgency, it does not feature elements intended to scare or disturb young readers.

• Does The Sickness have religious themes?

  No religious content is present in 'The Sickness'. The search results do not indicate any religious practices, beliefs, or ceremonies within the narrative of the book.

• Does The Sickness have racial/cultural content?

  Race is not a central theme in 'The Sickness'. The search results do not indicate any explicit discussions or representations of race within the narrative.

• Does The Sickness have profanity?

  No profanity is indicated in 'The Sickness'. The search results do not mention any use of strong language or inappropriate terms within the book.

• Does The Sickness have climate change?

  There are no climate themes present in 'The Sickness'. The search results do not indicate any discussions about environmental issues or activism within the book.

• Does The Sickness have sexual identity?

  There is no sexual content present in 'The Sickness'. The search results do not reference any sexual themes or situations within the book.

• Does The Sickness have gender roles?

  The book does not actively discuss or critique gender roles. It focuses on the characters' experiences with illness and teamwork rather than on traditional or modern gender expectations.

• Does The Sickness have lgbtq+ themes?

  No LGBTQ+ themes or characters are explicitly mentioned in the book 'The Sickness' by Katherine Applegate. The search results primarily focus on general information about LGBTQ+ representation in literature and do not provide specific content from the book itself.