Darcy
Mary Francis Shura
Darcy
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mary Francis Shura
The text is written at a 6th 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 if a massive hurricane swept through your town, turning everything upside down? Imagine facing the wild and roaring Galveston Hurricane of 1900, where courage and hope become your strongest shields. Darcy must find her inner strength and discover what truly matters — but will the storm change her forever?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set during the devastating Galveston Hurricane of 1900, this middle-grade novel follows Darcy as she confronts a historic natural disaster. Through her experience, Darcy grows emotionally resilient and learns valuable lessons about self-worth and love. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book handles themes of natural disaster and personal growth with sensitivity.
Why we rated Darcy 11ME
Darcy is written at a Level 6 reading level across 216 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Darcy works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Darcy as 11ME ("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, physical peril — 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, Darcy explores historical, adventure, coming of age, family, and natural disaster — 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 historical, adventure, coming of age.
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
11ME — 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
2/10A 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
- 9780590420167
- Pages
- 216
- Publisher
- Scholastic Paperbacks
- Published
- July 1989
- Type
- Fiction