Calico Bush
Rachel Field
Calico Bush
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Rachel Field
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 mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Marguerite scrambles through the dense forest, her heart pounding as the cold Maine wind bites her cheeks. She's just promised six years to a family she barely knows, and every shadow seems to whisper danger. Can she survive this new world far from everything she's ever known?
Quick Assessment
Set in 1740s Maine, this historical fiction follows Marguerite, a young French orphan who agrees to serve a pioneer family for six years in exchange for shelter and essentials. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book explores themes of survival, adaptation, and the challenges of pioneer life with moderate historical detail and some moments of peril. Parents should note the depiction of hardship but no graphic content.
Why we rated Calico Bush 11LE
Calico Bush is written at a Level 6 reading level across 201 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Calico Bush works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Calico Bush as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Calico Bush explores historical, adventure, coming of age, family, and survival — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, adventure, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780440410058
- Pages
- 201
- Publisher
- Dell Yearling Book
- Published
- 1976
- Type
- Fiction