Commodore Matthew Perry and the Perry Expedition to Japan

Name: Commodore Matthew Perry and the Perry Expedition to Japan
Author: David G. Wittner
ISBN: 1404226451

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by David G. Wittner

Library of American Lives and Times; PowerPlus Books

Reading Level 8-9 C · Gentle Ages 9-12 Sweet Spot Page-Turner

The text is written at an 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Discover the adventurous journey of Matthew Perry, a brave naval officer who changed history by opening Japan to the world. Follow his exciting expedition across the seas as he helps connect distant cultures and shapes the future of international trade. Perfect for young explorers curious about history and courage.

Themes

Adventure HistoricalBiographyFamily

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 8-9 book with gentle content intensity. It's a Sweet Spot read — challenging text with gentle themes, ideal for advanced or 2e readers. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Commodore Matthew Perry and the Perry Expedition to Japan C (Gentle)

Commodore Matthew Perry and the Perry Expedition to Japan is written at a Level 8-9 reading level across 112 pages (approximately 13,697 words). Middle Grades (Ages 9-12) is the typical interest range for this book — readers in that age band have the maturity and attention span suited to the story, separate from whether they can decode the words.

Read aloud, Commodore Matthew Perry and the Perry Expedition to Japan runs about 1.5 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Commodore Matthew Perry and the Perry Expedition to Japan as C (Gentle) 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, Commodore Matthew Perry and the Perry Expedition to Japan explores adventure, historical, biography, and family — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, historical, biography.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 7 more books in the Library of American Lives and Times; PowerPlus Books series.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?