The choice

Name: The choice
Author: Nancy N. Rue
ISBN: 1561798967

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Nancy N. Rue

Reading Level 4-5 MS · Moderate · Social Ages 9-12 Matched Rich Discussion

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. Its HootRating code, MS, means moderate content, mostly social.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links.

About This Book

Twelve-year-old Will is about to learn that the biggest decisions in a family can arrive before anyone feels ready for them. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, as World War II winds down, changes are piling up for Will, his family and his friends, and every choice carries real weight. Why does it matter? Because Will discovers that even when the stakes feel enormous, faith in Jesus can help him find his way through.

Themes

Family Historical Coming of Age

Quick Assessment

In Santa Fe, New Mexico, near the close of World War II, a twelve-year-old boy and the people around him face major family and community changes and must make consequential decisions. Parents should know that Christian faith is woven throughout the characters' choices, and that the wartime backdrop is tied to the Manhattan Project. The emotional weight comes mainly from change and uncertainty rather than graphic content.

Why we rated The choice MS (Moderate)

The choice is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 184 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage The choice on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The choice as MS (Moderate, mostly social) 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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Wartime Setting, Religious Themes, Family Change.

Thematically, The choice explores family, historical, 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.
✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, historical, coming of age.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

MS · Moderate · Social

Emotional

Moderate

Physical

Gentle

Social

Moderate ←

Thematic

Moderate

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.