To look a Nazi in the eye
Kathy Kacer
To look a Nazi in the eye
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Teen's Account of a War Criminal Trial
by Kathy Kacer
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
Jordana steps into a courtroom buzzing with tension, her heart pounding as the accused Nazi officer takes the stand. Every word he utters could change history—will justice finally catch up to him? The room holds its breath, but the real surprise is yet to come.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade historical fiction tells the story of Jordana Lebowitz, a nineteen-year-old who travels to Germany to witness the trial of Oskar Groening, a former Auschwitz bookkeeper. The book sensitively explores themes of justice and remembrance suitable for ages 9-12, with careful handling of difficult topics related to war crimes and their impact. Parents should note the serious subject matter and courtroom setting, which may prompt thoughtful conversations.
Why we rated To look a Nazi in the eye 11ME
To look a Nazi in the eye is written at a Level 6 reading level across 230 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, To look a Nazi in the eye works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate To look a Nazi in the eye 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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — 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, To look a Nazi in the eye explores war crime trials, justice, history, and coming of age — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about war crime trials, justice, history.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
11ME — Moderate — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781772600407
- Pages
- 230
- Publisher
- Second Story Press
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Nonfiction