Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The colony of Pennsylvania
Susan Whitehurst
The colony of Pennsylvania
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Susan Whitehurst
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Discover the story of Pennsylvania, from its beginning when William Penn created it as a new home, to when it became a state in 1787. Learn about the people, events, and adventures that shaped this special place in early America.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 5-8.
Why we rated The colony of Pennsylvania 10C
The colony of Pennsylvania is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 24 pages (approximately 1,132 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.4 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The colony of Pennsylvania works for readers up to grade 7.4.
Read aloud, The colony of Pennsylvania takes about 8 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.
We rate The colony of Pennsylvania as 10C ("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, The colony of Pennsylvania explores historical, adventure, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, adventure, family.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 3 more books in the Library...The Lost Colony series.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
9/10High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Library...The Lost Colony Series
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0823954811
- Pages
- 24
- Publisher
- PowerKids Press
- Published
- 2000
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 1,132
- Read-Aloud
- ~8 min
- Text Density
- Picture-Heavy