A Promise to Remember
Kathryn Cushman
A Promise to Remember
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kathryn Cushman
The text is written at a 7th 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
What happens when a sudden tragedy changes everything? Two very different families are brought together by loss, each facing their own struggles and secrets. Can they find hope and healing before the pain pulls them all apart?
Themes
Quick Assessment
A Promise to Remember explores the emotional journey of two families coping with the loss of their teenagers in a tragic accident. Set in a contemporary American community, this middle-grade book sensitively addresses grief, healing, and the impact of loss on relationships. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it offers a thoughtful look at family and community dynamics with Christian themes.
Why we rated A Promise to Remember 12IE
A Promise to Remember is written at a Level 7 reading level across 320 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A Promise to Remember works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate A Promise to Remember as 12IE ("Intense — 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 — 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 Promise to Remember explores grief & loss, family, community, religious themes, and contemporary fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about grief & loss, family, community.
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
12IE — Intense — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780764203800
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- Bethany House
- Published
- October 1, 2007
- Type
- Fiction