Let's pretend
Ada DeBlanc Simond
Let's pretend
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Mae Dee and Her Family Join the Juneteenth Celebration : The Third in a Series of Stories
by Ada DeBlanc Simond
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
This book reveals a hidden celebration that shines with hope and courage—a young girl and her family bring the Emancipation celebration to life in early 1900s Austin. Their joy and strength show how history shapes who we are, and why remembering matters more than ever.
Quick Assessment
Set in early 20th-century Austin, Texas, this middle-grade fiction explores the Emancipation celebration through the eyes of a young Black girl and her family. It provides cultural and historical insights appropriate for ages 9-12, highlighting African American social customs with sensitivity. The story is enriching without intense content, making it suitable for readers interested in history and cultural heritage.
Why we rated Let's pretend 9LS
Let's pretend is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 165 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Let's pretend works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Let's pretend as 9LS ("Light — Social") 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, Let's pretend explores multicultural, historical, family, and social justice — 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 multicultural, historical, family.
- ✓ 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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LS — Light — SocialNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 0894820273
- Pages
- 165
- Publisher
- Stevenson Press
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Nonfiction