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John come down the backstay

Caroline Tapley

Cover of John come down the backstay

John come down the backstay

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Caroline Tapley

Reading Level 4-5 Unrated Ages 9-12

The text is written at a 4th 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

A young seaman tells of his experiences on the sailing ship Fox during the two years spent in the Arctic searching for an exploring party lost twelve years before.

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated John come down the backstay Level 0

John come down the backstay is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 182 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, John come down the backstay works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate John come down the backstay as Unrated because the content sits in the "Unrated" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences.

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

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.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

Level 0 — Unrated
Gentle Mild Moderate Intense Very Intense

This book has not yet been rated for content intensity.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Unrated" 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
4
Theme Richness
1
World Scope
3
Data Confidence
4

Details

Book Length

182 pages
ISBN
9780689301490
Pages
182
Publisher
New York : Atheneum
Published
1974
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

FoxShipsArctic Regions

People

John Franklin Sir (1786-1847)

Places

Arctic regions