Keepers of the Faith
Emilie Baker Loring
Keepers of the Faith
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Emilie Baker Loring
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Nancy Barton left her fancy life behind to fight for her country in a city full of secrets. She teams up with Major Bill Jerrold, a tough Marine with stories from the war's front lines. Together, they're on a mission to catch a traitor before everything falls apart.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set during World War II, this middle-grade novel follows Nancy Barton as she navigates the suspenseful world of wartime Washington, D.C. Alongside Major Bill Jerrold, she works to uncover a traitor threatening national security. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story involves themes of patriotism, bravery, and historical context related to war and espionage.
Why we rated Keepers of the Faith 9ME
Keepers of the Faith is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 186 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Keepers of the Faith works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Keepers of the Faith as 9ME ("Moderate — 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, social complexity, 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, Keepers of the Faith explores world war ii, adventure, friendship, historical, and patriotism — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about world war ii, adventure, friendship.
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
9ME — Moderate — 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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0884113574
- Pages
- 186
- Publisher
- Aeonian Press
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Fiction