Growing Up in Slavery
Yuval Taylor
Growing Up in Slavery
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Stories of Young Slaves as Told by Themselves
by Yuval Taylor
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
The salty air stings your nose as the creaking ship rocks beneath your feet. You hear whispered stories of courage and pain from children just like you, taken far from home. Their voices echo through time, sharing secrets of survival and hope that still resonate today.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This book presents firsthand accounts of childhood and teenage years under slavery, told by both well-known and lesser-known individuals. It offers a vivid and honest portrayal of life on plantations, in cities, and during escape attempts, including participation in the Civil War. Suitable for ages 13-18, it provides historical insight with sensitive content about slavery.
Why we rated Growing Up in Slavery 11IE
Growing Up in Slavery is written at a Level 6 reading level across 256 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Growing Up in Slavery works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Growing Up in Slavery as 11IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Slavery, Historical Trauma.
Thematically, Growing Up in Slavery explores multicultural, historical, biography / autobiography, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ 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 multicultural, historical, biography / autobiography.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" 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
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Slavery in the United States
Gary Barr
Slavery in the United States
Gary Barr
Slavery in America
Tonya Buell
Slavery in America
Tonya Buell
Slavery
James Meadows
Slavery
James Meadows
Slavery in America
Katie Marsico
Slavery in America
Katie Marsico
Slavery
Thomas Streissguth
Slavery
Thomas Streissguth
Slavery
William Dudley
Slavery
William Dudley
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781556526350
- Pages
- 256
- Publisher
- Chicago Review Press
- Published
- February 1, 2007
- Type
- Nonfiction