I Am Regina
Sally M. Keehn
I Am Regina
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sally M. Keehn
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What happens when your whole world is turned upside down in an instant? Regina's peaceful life in Pennsylvania shatters when her home is attacked, and she is taken captive by the Allegheny Indians. As she learns new ways and her new family grows, will she ever find her way back to her mother?
Quick Assessment
This historical fiction novel tells the story of Regina, a young girl from 18th century Pennsylvania who is captured by the Allegheny Indians after a violent attack on her family. The book explores themes of cultural adaptation, resilience, and family separation, suitable for teens aged 13-18. Parents should note the depiction of historical violence and captivity, portrayed with sensitivity but integral to the plot.
Why we rated I Am Regina 11IE
I Am Regina is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, I Am Regina works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate I Am Regina as 11IE ("Intense — 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, physical peril, 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, I Am Regina explores historical, coming of age, family, survival, and multicultural — 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 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 historical, 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
11IE — Intense — 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
- 9780698119208
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- National Geographic Books
- Published
- December 31, 2001
- Type
- Fiction