What reading level is The Slave Dancer?

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox is at a Level 3 reading level. Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What genre is The Slave Dancer?

The Slave Dancer is fiction — Young Adult Fiction.

How many pages is The Slave Dancer?

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox is 99 pages.

The Slave Dancer

Paula Fox

The Slave Dancer

Q: What age is The Slave Dancer appropriate for?

The Slave Dancer is recommended for Ages 5-8. Content intensity: "Intense" (4/5). Content flags: Emotional: Fear & Anxiety, Emotional: Loss & Grief, Physical/Safety: Mild Peril, Physical/Safety: Physical Danger.

Q: Does The Slave Dancer have any content warnings?

The Slave Dancer has a content intensity rating of "Intense" (4/5). Content flags include: Emotional: Fear & Anxiety, Emotional: Loss & Grief, Physical/Safety: Mild Peril, Physical/Safety: Physical Danger. On HootRated, every book is rated for emotional, physical, and social content themes to help parents make informed choices.

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Paula Fox

Reading Level 3 Intense (Lvl 4) Ages 5-8 Heads Up

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.

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About This Book

The salty air stings your nose and the creak of the wooden ship fills your ears. Imagine being just like Jessie, a boy snatched from the streets, forced to play music for people chained below deck. The rhythm is not for fun—it's for survival, but what happens next changes everything.

Themes

Historical Adventure Survival Coming of Age Social Justice

Quick Assessment

This Newbery Medal-winning novel follows 13-year-old Jessie Bollier, who is kidnapped and forced to play his fife aboard a slave ship during the illegal slave trade of the 19th century. The story offers a historically accurate and unflinching portrayal of the horrors of slavery, making it suitable for mature early readers ages 8 and up who can handle difficult themes. Parents should note the book deals with intense topics including kidnapping, cruelty, and human suffering.