The night of the burning
Linda Press Wulf
The night of the burning
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
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 village is on fire, and everything she knows is at risk of being lost forever. But she and her sister are determined to escape the darkness and find a new place to call home. Their journey shows how courage and hope can shine even in the darkest nights.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set against the backdrop of Jewish pogroms in Poland during the interwar period, this historical fiction follows Devorah and her sister as they flee violence and seek safety through the help of a compassionate philanthropist. The story offers a sensitive and authentic portrayal of trauma and resilience, suitable for middle-grade readers ages 9-12. Parents should note the themes of historical violence and displacement, presented in an age-appropriate manner.
Why we rated The night of the burning 11IE
The night of the burning is written at a Level 6 reading level across 222 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 11IE ("Intense — 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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The night of the burning explores emigration and immigration, jews, sisters, orphans, and immigrants — 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 emigration and immigration, jews, sisters.
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
11IE — Intense — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780747590514
- Pages
- 222
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Childrens
- Published
- 2007
- Type
- Fiction