The Great Society
Craig E. Blohm
The Great Society
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Craig E. Blohm
1960s; Lucent Library of Historical Eras
The text is written at a 10th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens and adults (ages 16+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Set against the backdrop of the 1960s, this story delves into the struggles faced by many Americans living in poverty despite the country’s overall prosperity. It reveals how government policies shaped social and economic realities, while also reflecting on ongoing efforts to address poverty today. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of history and social justice through this compelling narrative.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 10-11 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include poverty & hardship, social policy, economic conditions. Written for readers ages 16+.
Why we rated The Great Society 14MS
The Great Society is written at a Level 10-11 reading level across 112 pages (approximately 29,656 words). Strong independent readers around grade 11.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Great Society works for readers up to grade 12.3.
Read aloud, The Great Society runs about 3.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The Great Society as 14MS ("Moderate — 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 social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Poverty & Hardship, Social Policy, Economic Conditions.
Thematically, The Great Society explores history, social justice, government policy, and poverty — 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 16+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about history, social justice, government policy.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! 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
14MS — Moderate — SocialReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
4/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 1590183851
- Pages
- 112
- Publisher
- Lucent Books
- Published
- 2004
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 29,656
- Read-Aloud
- ~3h 18m
- Text Density
- Dense