Lord Baltimore
J. Dennis Robinson
Lord Baltimore
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Founder of Maryland
by J. Dennis Robinson
Signature Lives: Colonial America Era
The text is written at a 7th 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
Discover the fascinating story of Lord Baltimore, the visionary who established Maryland in 1634 and championed religious freedom with the Act of Tolerance. Journey through the colonial era and see how his leadership shaped a new land where diverse beliefs could coexist peacefully.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 7-8 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 9-12.
Why we rated Lord Baltimore 12C
Lord Baltimore is written at a Level 7-8 reading level across 120 pages (approximately 12,408 words). Strong independent readers around grade 8.8 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Lord Baltimore works for readers up to grade 9.8.
Read aloud, Lord Baltimore runs about 1.4 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Lord Baltimore as 12C ("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, Lord Baltimore explores historical, biography, social justice, 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, biography, social justice.
- ✓ 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
12C — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0756515920
- Pages
- 120
- Publisher
- Capstone
- Published
- 2006
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 12,408
- Read-Aloud
- ~1h 23m
- Text Density
- Light Text