Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The Flamboya Tree
Clara Kelly
The Flamboya Tree
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Memories of a Mother's Wartime Courage
by Clara Kelly
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
Amid the turmoil of World War II, a young girl and her family face unimaginable hardships after their peaceful life on the island of Java is shattered by invasion. Enduring years of internment in a harsh concentration camp, they rely on the strength and courage of their mother to survive. This deeply moving memoir captures the resilience of the human spirit through the eyes of a child who clings to hope, family, and the memories symbolized by a cherished painting of a flamboya tree.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 6-7 book with intense content intensity. Content themes include war & conflict, loss & grief, physical danger. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated The Flamboya Tree 11IE
The Flamboya Tree is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 240 pages (approximately 58,591 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Flamboya Tree works for readers up to grade 8.5.
Read aloud, The Flamboya Tree runs about 6.5 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The Flamboya Tree as 11IE ("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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: War & Conflict, Loss & Grief, Physical Danger, Illness & Injury.
Thematically, The Flamboya Tree explores family, historical, survival, 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 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, historical, survival.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11IE — 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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
7/10Rich themes that spark meaningful family conversation. Great for book clubs and read-alouds.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0812966856
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- National Geographic Books
- Published
- April 8, 2003
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 58,591
- Read-Aloud
- ~6h 31m
- Text Density
- Standard