My last skirt
Lynda Durrant
My last skirt
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Story of Jennie Hodgers, Union Soldier
by Lynda Durrant
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
Jennie Hodgers did something no one expected—she dressed as a boy and became a brave Union soldier named Albert Cashier during the American Civil War. She faced battles and adventures that tested her courage and secret. This story shows how being true to yourself can change history.
Quick Assessment
This historical fiction novel tells the story of Jennie Hodgers, who disguised herself as a boy to serve as a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The book explores themes of gender roles and identity with age-appropriate language and is suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the book includes historical war content but handles it in a gentle and respectful way.
Why we rated My last skirt 9ME
My last skirt is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 199 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, My last skirt works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate My last skirt 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, physical peril, social complexity — 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, My last skirt explores historical, coming of age, family, identity & self-discovery, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, coming of age, family.
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780618574902
- Pages
- 199
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Published
- 2006
- Type
- Fiction