I survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919

Name: I survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919
Author: Lauren Tarshis
ISBN: 9780876177891

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Lauren Tarshis

I Survived · Book 20

Reading Level 3 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Sticky, sweet molasses floods the streets, splashing and swirling around the people of Boston. The air is thick with the smell of syrup as the wave crashes through homes and shops. In the middle of this strange disaster, courage and hope rise above the sticky flood.

Themes

Historical Survival Adventure Family

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade historical fiction book tells the story of the 1919 Great Molasses Flood in Boston, focusing on the dramatic events and personal experiences of those affected. Suitable for children ages 9-12, it provides an engaging way to learn about a unique disaster with age-appropriate content and no graphic violence. The story emphasizes resilience and bravery amid unexpected challenges.

Why we rated I survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 LE (Mild)

I survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 is written at a Level 3 reading level across 94 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage I survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate I survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 as LE (Mild, mostly 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, I survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 explores historical, survival, adventure, and family — 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.
✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, survival, adventure.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 23 more books in the I Survived series.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

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