What reading level is The Summer of the Swans?

The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Cromer Byars is at a Level 4-5 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The Summer of the Swans appropriate for?

The Summer of the Swans is recommended for Ages 9-12. Content intensity: "Mild" (2/5). Content flags: Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety.

What genre is The Summer of the Swans?

The Summer of the Swans is fiction — Brothers and sisters.

Does The Summer of the Swans have any content warnings?

The Summer of the Swans has a content intensity rating of "Mild" (2/5). Content flags include: Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety. On HootRated, every book is rated for emotional, physical, and social content themes to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The Summer of the Swans?

The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Cromer Byars is 144 pages.

The Summer of the Swans

Betsy Cromer Byars

The Summer of the Swans

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Betsy Cromer Byars

Reading Level 4-5 Mild (Lvl 2) Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

The soft rustle of leaves and the distant call of swans fill the warm summer air. A young girl watches anxiously as her brother, who thinks and learns differently, wanders away into the vast woods. In the quiet moments that follow, she begins to see her family—and herself—in a whole new light.

Themes

Family Coming of Age Disability RepresentationEmotional GrowthClassics

Quick Assessment

This classic middle-grade novel tells the story of a young girl who gains a deeper understanding of her family, especially her brother with cognitive challenges, during a summer marked by his disappearance. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively explores themes of mental disability, family dynamics, and personal growth without graphic content or intense conflict.

For Parents

Content Intensity

Level 2 — Mild

Gentle Mild Moderate Intense Very Intense

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Content Flags

Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery Emotional: Fear & Anxiety

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level

Emotional Weight

Theme Richness

World Scope

Data Confidence

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Details

Book Length

144 pages

ISBN: 9780881032390
Pages: 144
Publisher: Turtleback Books
Published: 1981
Type: Fiction

Genres

Brothers and sisters

Subjects

Slow Learning ChildrenClassicsPeople With Mental DisabilitiesBrothers and SistersPeople With Mental DisabilitieReadingComputer-assisted InstructionResponsibilityChildren With DisabilitiesNewbery MedalReading ListTeenage GirlsArmstrong Elementary3rd and 4th Grades4th GradeMentally HandicappedSt. MarksSiblingsFamily LifeLarge Type BooksChildren's Stories, EnglishLoveSelf-esteem