Far from Home
Berlie Doherty
Far from Home
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Sisters of Street Child
by Berlie Doherty
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The creak of wooden floorboards echoes through the cold, dim attic where secrets from long ago lie hidden. Imagine the chill of a foggy London morning wrapping around you as two sisters uncover the story of their past, far from the warmth of home. Their journey stirs feelings of hope and heartache, but that's only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
Far from Home is a historical fiction novel set in Victorian England, following the story of two sisters connected to the orphan Jim Jarvis from the well-known Street Child. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of family, hardship, and resilience with sensitivity appropriate for middle-grade readers. The book provides insight into historical settings while handling emotional content with care.
Why we rated Far from Home 12LE
Far from Home is written at a Level 7 reading level across 320 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Far from Home works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Far from Home as 12LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Far from Home explores family, historical, coming of age, and multicultural — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
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 family, historical, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780007578825
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Children's Books
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction