Anthony Burns
Virginia Hamilton
Anthony Burns
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave
by Virginia Hamilton
The text is written at a 4th 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 would you do if you escaped to freedom but danger followed you? Imagine being Anthony Burns, a young man who fled slavery only to be caught in a city that’s divided between justice and injustice. The fight to decide his fate will change history forever—but will it save him?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This compelling middle-grade nonfiction novel recounts the true story of Anthony Burns, a fugitive slave whose capture in Boston under the Fugitive Slave Act sparked widespread outrage and intensified the abolitionist movement. Written for readers ages 9 to 12, the book explores themes of courage, justice, and history with sensitivity appropriate for this age group. Parents should note the book includes historical depictions of slavery, legal conflict, and social unrest but handles these topics thoughtfully.
Why we rated Anthony Burns 9ME
Anthony Burns is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 193 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Anthony Burns works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Anthony Burns as 9ME ("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, thematic difficulty — 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, Anthony Burns explores history, social justice, biography, coming of age, and family — 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 history, social justice, biography.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
9ME — 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
- 9780679839972
- Pages
- 193
- Publisher
- Laurel Leaf
- Published
- 1993
- Type
- Nonfiction