December First
Lizy Dastin
December First
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Story of the Century
by Lizy Dastin
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
Crunchy leaves underfoot and the sharp chill of winter air set the stage as ten girls, each from a different decade, share their secrets, hopes, and fears on December First. Their voices echo through time, capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of America from the 1900s onward. These stories weave together laughter, heartbreak, and courage, showing how much—and how little—has changed.
Themes
Quick Assessment
December First offers a unique historical fiction experience by presenting the twentieth century through the diaries and letters of ten young girls living in different decades. Suitable for ages 9 to 12, it explores themes like immigration, economic hardship, and societal change in the United States with sensitivity and emotional depth. The book provides a poignant look at history from a personal perspective, making complex issues accessible to middle-grade readers.
Why we rated December First 9ME
December First is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 108 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, December First works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate December First as 9ME ("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, thematic difficulty — 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, December First explores historical, coming of age, family, multicultural, and girls & women — 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, coming of age, family.
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
9ME — 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
1/10A 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
- 9780595149742
- Pages
- 108
- Publisher
- iUniverse
- Published
- December 2000
- Type
- Fiction