Facing the lion
Simone Arnold Liebster
Facing the lion
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe
by Simone Arnold Liebster
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
The sharp scent of pine needles fills the air as Simone clutches her sketchbook tight, the forest around her whispering secrets. Life was simple: music, art, and the soft paws of her dog, Zita. But shadows creep closer, and Simone must find courage she never knew she had.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade historical fiction follows ten-year-old Simone Arnold, a spirited and artistic girl whose peaceful life is upended by the Nazi persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses during World War II in Alsace, France. The story offers an accessible, child-appropriate exploration of resilience, faith, and family amidst war’s hardships. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively handles themes of fear and courage without graphic content.
Why we rated Facing the lion 9ME
Facing the lion is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 176 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Facing the lion works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Facing the lion 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, social complexity — 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, Facing the lion explores historical, family, coming of age, faith, and war & conflict — 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, family, coming of age.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
- 0967936616
- Pages
- 176
- Publisher
- Grammaton Press
- Published
- 2003
- Type
- Nonfiction