Mama, across the sea
Alex Godard
Mama, across the sea
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Alex Godard
The text is written at a 1st grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
A gentle story of a young island girl waiting for her mother to come home from work, far away on the mainland. Cecile lives on an island in the West Indies with her grandparents while her mother looks for work on the mainland. Much as she loves her grandparents, Cecile is lonely, and spends her days waiting for her mother to return from across the sea. As the summer passes, Cecile teaches her grandmother to read and write. She listens to the village storyteller's tales of the sea, and makes a beautiful picture with shells and sand to remind Mama of home. At long last, a letter comes for Cecil, and she crosses the sea to visit the Mama she has missed so much.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 1-2 book. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 5-8.
Why we rated Mama, across the sea Level 0
Mama, across the sea is written at a Level 1-2 reading level across 48 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 2.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Mama, across the sea works for readers up to grade 3.5.
We rate Mama, across the sea 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 5-8 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 — UnratedThis book has not yet been rated for content intensity.
Was our "Unrated" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0805061614
- Pages
- 48
- Publisher
- Henry Holt and Company (BYR)
- Published
- 2000
- Type
- Fiction