What reading level is A Father's Promise?

A Father's Promise by Donna L. Hess is at a Level 5-6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is A Father's Promise appropriate for?

A Father's Promise is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags: War & Conflict, Fear & Anxiety, Loss & Grief, Religious Themes, Physical Danger.

What genre is A Father's Promise?

A Father's Promise is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does A Father's Promise have any content warnings?

A Father's Promise has a HootRating of 10IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags include: War & Conflict, Fear & Anxiety, Loss & Grief, Religious Themes, Physical Danger. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is A Father's Promise?

A Father's Promise by Donna L. Hess is 250 pages (approximately 58,969 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

A Father's Promise

Donna L. Hess

A Father's Promise

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Donna L. Hess

Reading Level 5-6 10IE Ages 9-12 Heads Up Rich Discussion

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.

Buy on Amazon Listen on Audible Find on Bookshop.org

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

Eleven-year-old Rudi’s world turns upside down when the Nazis invade Warsaw, forcing him to hide and face dangers because of his Polish and Jewish heritage. With only his father's promise to hold onto, Rudi discovers courage, faith, and resilience as he navigates the hardships of war. His journey teaches him the power of hope and trust in something greater than fear.

Themes

HistoricalWorld War IIFamilyFaithSurvival Coming of Age

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5-6 book with intense content intensity. Content themes include war & conflict, fear & anxiety, loss & grief. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated A Father's Promise 10IE

A Father's Promise is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 250 pages (approximately 58,969 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A Father's Promise works for readers up to grade 7.1.

Read aloud, A Father's Promise runs about 6.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate A Father's Promise as 10IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: War & Conflict, Fear & Anxiety, Loss & Grief, Religious Themes, Physical Danger.

Thematically, A Father's Promise explores historical, world war ii, family, faith, and survival — 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.
✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, world war ii, family.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.