The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow
Ann Warren Turner
The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl
by Ann Warren Turner
The text is written at a 6th 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.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
The dry wind whips dust into your eyes as footsteps crunch over the endless desert floor. Imagine walking hundreds of miles, leaving everything you know behind, with only hope to guide you. Sarah Nita’s journey is filled with courage and heartache, and her story lingers long after the last step.
Quick Assessment
This historical fiction novel tells the story of Sarah Nita, a thirteen-year-old Navajo girl, through her diary entries during the forced 400-mile Long Walk to Fort Sumner in 1864. It offers a poignant look at Native American history and the resilience of children in difficult circumstances. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively handles themes of displacement and cultural survival.
Why we rated The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow 11ME
The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow is written at a Level 6 reading level across 208 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow explores historical, coming of age, family, survival, and multicultural — 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 historical, coming of age, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" 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
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
These is My Words
Nancy Turner
These is My Words
Nancy Turner
Navajo Long Walk
Nancy Armstrong
Navajo Long Walk
Nancy Armstrong
A year without rain
D. Anne Love
A year without rain
D. Anne Love
Lost ... in the Desert of Dread
Tracey Turner
Lost ... in the Desert of Dread
Tracey Turner
Shelter from the wind
Marion Dane Bauer
Shelter from the wind
Marion Dane Bauer
Lost Boy, Lost Girl
John Bul Dau
Lost Boy, Lost Girl
John Bul Dau
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780439555395
- Pages
- 208
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- November 1, 2003
- Type
- Fiction