What reading level is The Pennsylvania colony?

The Pennsylvania colony by Jean Kinney Williams is at a Level 6-7 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The Pennsylvania colony appropriate for?

The Pennsylvania colony is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11C (Clear).

What genre is The Pennsylvania colony?

The Pennsylvania colony is nonfiction — Juvenile Nonfiction. Part of the Spirit of America; Our Thirteen Colonies series.

Does The Pennsylvania colony have any content warnings?

The Pennsylvania colony has a HootRating of 11C (Clear). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The Pennsylvania colony?

The Pennsylvania colony by Jean Kinney Williams is 40 pages (approximately 4,274 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

The Pennsylvania colony

Jean Kinney Williams

The Pennsylvania colony

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Jean Kinney Williams

Spirit of America; Our Thirteen Colonies

Reading Level 6-7 11C Ages 9-12 Sweet Spot Page-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 is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Discover the fascinating journey of Pennsylvania from its beginnings as a colony founded by William Penn to its growth into a proud state by 1787. Explore the challenges and triumphs that shaped this important part of American history through engaging storytelling perfect for young readers.

Themes

Historical Coming of Age Family Adventure

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 6-7 book with gentle content intensity. It's a Sweet Spot read — challenging text with gentle themes, ideal for advanced or 2e readers. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated The Pennsylvania colony 11C

The Pennsylvania colony is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 40 pages (approximately 4,274 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Pennsylvania colony works for readers up to grade 8.1.

Read aloud, The Pennsylvania colony takes about 28 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate The Pennsylvania colony as 11C ("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 Pennsylvania colony explores historical, coming of age, family, and adventure — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, coming of age, family.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 3 more books in the Spirit of America; Our Thirteen Colonies series.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

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.