My name is James Madison Hemings

My name is James Madison Hemings is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 31 pages (approximately 1,263 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.9 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, My name is James Madison Hemings works for readers up to grade 6.9.

Read aloud, My name is James Madison Hemings takes about 8 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate My name is James Madison Hemings 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Slavery, Identity & Self-Discovery, Family.

Thematically, My name is James Madison Hemings explores biography, historical, family, coming of age, and multicultural — 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.