Dear America:My Heart is on the Ground: the Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880
Ann Rinaldi
Dear America:My Heart is on the Ground: the Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl
by Ann Rinaldi
The text is written at a 4th 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
A twelve-year-old Sioux girl shares her heartfelt experiences at a distant boarding school where she struggles to keep her culture alive while learning new ways. Through her diary, readers discover her determination to support her people amid challenging changes. This moving story reveals courage, identity, and hope in a difficult time.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include cultural displacement, identity & self-discovery, family change. Written for readers ages 9-12.
For Parents
Content Intensity
Level 3 — ModerateReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
4/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
7/10Rich themes that spark meaningful family conversation. Great for book clubs and read-alouds.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0590149229
- Pages
- 205
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 1999
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 34,190
- Read-Aloud
- ~3h 48m
- Text Density
- Standard