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Regina Silsby's phantom militia

Tom Brodeur

Cover of Regina Silsby's phantom militia

Regina Silsby's phantom militia

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Tom Brodeur

Reading Level 6 11C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Jeremy is about to discover that making friends can melt even the iciest barriers. When Taka moves from Japan, their worlds seem different at first, but a little patience and some paper folding magic reveal a bond neither expected. This friendship shows why reaching out matters more than fitting in.

Themes

FriendshipMulticulturalFamilyChristian lifeCrafts

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction centers on the budding friendship between Jeremy and Taka, a new student from Japan. It gently explores themes of cultural exchange and perseverance, with simple instructions for crafts that complement the story. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the book promotes understanding and patience without any concerning content.

Why we rated Regina Silsby's phantom militia 11C

Regina Silsby's phantom militia is written at a Level 6 reading level across 267 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Regina Silsby's phantom militia works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Regina Silsby's phantom militia as 11C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, Regina Silsby's phantom militia explores friendship, multicultural, family, christian life, and crafts — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about friendship, multicultural, family.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11C — Clear
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
2
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
5
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

267 pages
ISBN
9781591663850
Pages
267
Publisher
JourneyForth
Published
2005
Type
Fiction

Subjects

GhostsDisguiseCousinsGrandfathersChristian LifeBostonColonial Period, Ca. 1600-1775

Places

Boston (Mass.)