A child of the Jago
Arthur Morrison
A child of the Jago
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
By Arthur Morrison
by Arthur Morrison
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Here’s a secret: life in the Jago isn’t like anywhere else. It’s filled with narrow streets, hidden dangers, and kids who have to grow up fast. But that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This historical novel explores the harsh realities of life in a London slum through the eyes of a young boy. Written in 1896, it provides a vivid portrayal of poverty and social challenges appropriate for middle grade readers, though some scenes depict difficult living conditions. Parents should be aware of its mature themes related to socioeconomic hardship.
Why we rated A child of the Jago 11ME
A child of the Jago is written at a Level 6 reading level across 208 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A child of the Jago works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate A child of the Jago as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, A child of the Jago explores family, poverty & hardship, historical, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, poverty & hardship, historical.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0261618547
- Pages
- 208
- Publisher
- Boydell Press
- Published
- 1982
- Type
- Fiction