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From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs

Amy L. Cohn

Cover of From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs

From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Amy L. Cohn

Reading Level 7 12C Ages 9-12 Sweet Spot

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 gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Hear the rustle of autumn leaves and the hum of a lively fiddle as stories and songs from every corner of America come to life. Imagine tasting sweet berry pie and feeling the warm sun on your face while colorful pictures fill each page. These tales and tunes carry the spirit of a vast land, inviting you to explore its heart and soul.

Themes

FolkloreAmerican CultureLiterary CollectionsChildren's LiteratureArt & Illustration

Quick Assessment

This beautifully illustrated collection brings together over 140 American folk tales, songs, poems, and essays from a wide range of voices, including Mark Twain and Walt Whitman. Suitable for children ages 9 to 12, it offers a rich introduction to the cultural heritage of the United States. Its diverse content and artistic presentation make it an engaging resource for both independent reading and family sharing.

Why we rated From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs 12C

From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs is written at a Level 7 reading level across 399 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs as 12C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, From sea to shining sea ; a treasury of American folklore and folk songs explores folklore, american culture, literary collections, children's literature, and art & illustration — 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about folklore, american culture, literary collections.

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

12C — Clear
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
6
Emotional Weight
2
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

399 pages
ISBN
0590428683
Pages
399
Publisher
Scholastic
Published
1993
Type
Fiction

Subjects

Children's Literature, AmericanTalesUnited StatesFolkloreLiterary CollectionsCollectionsFolk SongsChildren's LiteratureFolklore, United StatesFolk Songs, AmericanFolk Songs, United StatesFolk Music