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A statue for America

Harris, Jonathan

Cover of A statue for America

A statue for America

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The First 100 Years of the Statue of Liberty

by Harris, Jonathan

Reading Level 6 11C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Have you ever wondered what secrets a towering statue might hold? Imagine a giant lady standing tall for one hundred years, watching over a land of dreams and freedom. What stories could she tell, and why does she mean so much to people around the world?

Themes

HistoricalNational monumentsFriendshipFamily

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction book explores the first hundred years of the Statue of Liberty as a powerful symbol of freedom and hope. Suitable for children ages 9-12, it offers historical insights blended with storytelling, making complex history accessible and engaging. There are no intense or mature themes, making it appropriate for its intended audience.

Why we rated A statue for America 11C

A statue for America is written at a Level 6 reading level across 225 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A statue for America works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate A statue for America as 11C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, A statue for America explores historical, national monuments, friendship, and family — 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 historical, national monuments, friendship.
  • Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11C — Clear
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
2
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
3
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

225 pages
ISBN
0027427307
Pages
225
Publisher
Simon & Schuster
Published
1985
Type
Nonfiction

Genres

Subjects

Statue of LibertyNational MonumentsStatuesStatue of Liberty National Monument

Places

Statue of Liberty National Monument (N.Y. and N.J.)