Charlemont
William Gilmore Simms
Charlemont
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Or, The Pride of the Village, a Tale of Kentucky
by William Gilmore Simms
The text is written at a 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
What if a quiet village in Kentucky held a secret that could change everything? Imagine meeting proud characters whose lives twist and turn through challenges and surprises. Would you stand strong when everything you know is at stake?
Quick Assessment
Charlemont, by William Gilmore Simms, is a historical fiction novel set in 19th-century Kentucky that explores life in a small southern village. The story features richly drawn characters and themes of pride, community, and personal challenges suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9-12. Parents should note its historical setting and language may reflect the period's cultural context.
Why we rated Charlemont 12LE
Charlemont is written at a Level 8 reading level across 447 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Charlemont works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Charlemont as 12LE ("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, Charlemont explores historical, family, coming of age, and multicultural — 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, family, coming of age.
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
12LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Charlotte Sometimes
Penelope Farmer
Charlotte Sometimes
Penelope Farmer
Beauchampe
William Gilmore Simms
Beauchampe
William Gilmore Simms
Katharine Walton
William Gilmore Simms
Katharine Walton
William Gilmore Simms
Charley Skedaddle
Jean Jamieson, Novel Units, Inc. Staff, Anne Troy, Phyllis Green
Charley Skedaddle
Jean Jamieson, Novel Units, Inc. Staff, Anne Troy, Phyllis Green
Brookfield Friends
Maria D. Wilkes
Brookfield Friends
Maria D. Wilkes
Charisma
Michael G. Coney
Charisma
Michael G. Coney
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0404060080
- Pages
- 447
- Publisher
- AMS Press
- Published
- 1970
- Type
- Fiction