Facing the lions.
Tom Wicker
Facing the lions.
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tom Wicker
The text is written at a 8th 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
Here’s a secret: two friends arrived in Washington, D.C., full of dreams and determination, but only one returns. Morgan hears that Anderson has died, and a big question hangs in the air—did Anderson find peace as a celebrated hero, or was something else at play? But that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
This historical fiction explores themes of friendship, ambition, and loss as two young men navigate their futures in Washington, D.C. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it touches on complex emotions and the challenges of growing up with depth and sensitivity. Parents should note the story involves themes of death and self-discovery.
Why we rated Facing the lions. 12ME
Facing the lions. is written at a Level 8 reading level across 432 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Facing the lions. works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Facing the lions. as 12ME ("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, Facing the lions. explores friendship, coming of age, family, and historical — 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 friendship, 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
12ME — 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
- 0670304484
- Pages
- 432
- Publisher
- Viking Adult
- Published
- 1973
- Type
- Fiction