The listening child
Lucy W. S. Thacher
The listening child
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Selection from the Stories of English Verse, Made for the Youngest Readers and Hearers
by Lucy W. S. Thacher
The text is written at a 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Hear the soft rustle of old pages turning, the whisper of voices from long ago carried through carefully crafted poems. Each poem paints a world filled with sounds, sights, and feelings that spark your imagination and touch your heart. These timeless words invite you to listen closely and discover stories that echo through centuries.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This collection features a curated selection of English and American poetry from the 14th to the 19th centuries, tailored for middle-grade readers. The poems explore a variety of themes and styles, offering an accessible introduction to classic poetry. Suitable for ages 9 to 12, this book encourages literary appreciation without any intense content concerns.
Why we rated The listening child 12C
The listening child is written at a Level 8 reading level across 408 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The listening child works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The listening child as 12C ("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 listening child explores children's poetry, english poetry, american poetry, and literary appreciation — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about children's poetry, english poetry, american poetry.
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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780896091719
- Pages
- 408
- Publisher
- Granger Book Co.
- Published
- 1979
- Type
- Fiction