The night of the burning
Linda Press Wulf
The night of the burning
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Devorah's Story
by Linda Press Wulf
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.
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About This Book
Devorah’s bravery shines in a world torn apart by fear and fire. When danger strikes her home during the terrifying Night of the Burning, she must find strength she never knew she had. This story shows how courage can light the darkest times.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in post-Great War Europe, this historical novel follows Devorah, a young Jewish girl facing the horrors of famine, disease, and violent anti-Semitic attacks. Based on true events and the author’s family history, it sensitively explores themes of hardship, resilience, and identity, appropriate for middle-grade readers. Parents should be aware of the depiction of historical violence and loss, which is handled with care but may require discussion.
Why we rated The night of the burning 11ME
The night of the burning is written at a Level 6 reading level across 210 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The night of the burning works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The night of the burning 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, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Historical Violence, Loss.
Thematically, The night of the burning explores historical, family, coming of age, courage, and jewish culture — 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, family, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! 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
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal 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
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
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780374364199
- Pages
- 210
- Publisher
- Macmillan
- Published
- 2006
- Type
- Fiction