A statue for America
Harris, Jonathan
A statue for America
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The First 100 Years of the Statue of Liberty
by Harris, Jonathan
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 stories a statue could tell if it could talk? Imagine the Statue of Liberty watching over America for a whole hundred years, seeing everything change around her. What secrets does she hold about freedom and hope?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This fictionalized account explores the first hundred years of the Statue of Liberty as a powerful symbol of freedom and hope. Aimed at middle-grade readers, it provides historical context in an engaging way suitable for ages 9-12, with no intense content to be concerned about.
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, statue of liberty, freedom, and hope — 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, statue of liberty.
- ✓ 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 — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780027427301
- Pages
- 225
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster
- Published
- 1985
- Type
- Nonfiction