Jazz tap
Anne E. Johnson
Jazz tap
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Anne E. Johnson
Library of African American Arts and Culture
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Explore the vibrant journey of jazz tap dancing as it evolves from its deep roots in African traditions to a dynamic American art form. This story celebrates the rhythm, culture, and history behind every step and shuffle that shaped jazz tap. Discover how dance connects generations and tells powerful stories through movement.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 6-7 book with gentle content intensity. It's a Sweet Spot read — challenging text with gentle themes, ideal for advanced or 2e readers. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Jazz tap 11C
Jazz tap is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 64 pages (approximately 5,792 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.6 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Jazz tap works for readers up to grade 8.6.
Read aloud, Jazz tap takes about 39 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.
We rate Jazz tap as 11C ("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, Jazz tap explores dance, historical, and african american culture — 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.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about dance, historical, african american culture.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
6/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0823918564
- Pages
- 64
- Published
- 1999
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 5,792
- Read-Aloud
- ~39 min
- Text Density
- Light Text