My real name is Hanna
Tara Lynn Masih
My real name is Hanna
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tara Lynn Masih
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
What would you do if your whole world changed overnight? Fourteen-year-old Hanna's village is invaded, and she must hide in dark woods and caves to stay safe. But when her father disappears, can Hanna find him and keep her family alive?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set during the harrowing events of 1941 Ukraine under Nazi invasion, this middle-grade novel follows fourteen-year-old Hanna, a Jewish girl forced into hiding with her family. It explores themes of survival, courage, and family bonds amid the Holocaust, inspired by a true story. Suitable for ages 9-12, it handles difficult historical realities with sensitivity but includes depictions of danger, hunger, and loss.
Why we rated My real name is Hanna 9IE
My real name is Hanna is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 195 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, My real name is Hanna works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate My real name is Hanna as 9IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Holocaust, War & Conflict, Family Separation, Survival.
Thematically, My real name is Hanna explores family, historical, survival, immigrants, and coming of age — 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 family, historical, survival.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" 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
- 9781942134510
- Pages
- 195
- Publisher
- Mandel Vilar Press
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction