Brigham Young and me, Clarissa
Barbara Williams
Brigham Young and me, Clarissa
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Barbara Williams
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Did you know Brigham Young had a daughter who saw the world in a very special way? Clarissa is just eight years old, and she’s about to share secrets from her family’s everyday life that you won’t hear anywhere else—but that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This fictionalized story is told from the viewpoint of Clarissa Young, an eight-year-old daughter of Brigham Young, offering a gentle glimpse into family life in the 1800s within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Appropriate for early readers aged 5-8, it provides historical context with age-appropriate language and themes centered on family and faith. Parents should note that the book reflects cultural and religious settings of the time, presented in a respectful and accessible way.
Why we rated Brigham Young and me, Clarissa 8C
Brigham Young and me, Clarissa is written at a Level 3 reading level across 80 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Brigham Young and me, Clarissa works for readers up to grade 5.0.
We rate Brigham Young and me, Clarissa as 8C ("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, Brigham Young and me, Clarissa explores family, historical, religious themes, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, historical, religious themes.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8C — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0385140193
- Pages
- 80
- Publisher
- Doubleday
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Fiction