My Name Is Not Angelica
Scott O’Dell
My Name Is Not Angelica
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Scott O’Dell
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
The salty breeze mixes with the sharp cries of rebellion as Angelica grips the rough wooden planks beneath her. The island smells of sea and danger, and every heartbeat echoes with the hope of freedom. But can one brave girl change the course of history?
Quick Assessment
This historical fiction novel follows Angelica, a young Senegalese girl enslaved on the Caribbean island of St. John during the 1733-1734 slave revolt. It provides a vivid portrayal of a difficult period in history suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should be aware that the book touches on themes of slavery and resistance, handled with historical sensitivity.
Why we rated My Name Is Not Angelica 9ME
My Name Is Not Angelica is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 144 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, My Name Is Not Angelica works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate My Name Is Not Angelica 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 Name Is Not Angelica explores historical, coming of age, social justice, 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.
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, social justice.
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
1/10A 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
- 9780547406305
- Pages
- 144
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction