Tulsa burning
Anna Myers
Tulsa burning
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Anna Myers
The text is written at a 4th 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
What would you do if your best friend was hurt and no one else would help because of the color of his skin? In 1921 Oklahoma, fifteen-year-old Noble Chase faces a dangerous choice when race riots break out nearby. Can he stand up for what’s right when everyone else is afraid?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set during the Tulsa race riots of 1921, this historical fiction follows fifteen-year-old Noble Chase as he navigates challenging race relations and personal loyalties. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, the story addresses serious themes of racial injustice and bravery amidst violence, with sensitive treatment appropriate for middle-grade audiences.
Why we rated Tulsa burning 9IS
Tulsa burning is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 152 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tulsa burning works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Tulsa burning as 9IS ("Intense — Social") 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Racial Discrimination, Mild Peril.
Thematically, Tulsa burning explores coming of age, race relations, interpersonal relations, fathers and sons, and riots — 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 coming of age, race relations, interpersonal relations.
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
9IS — Intense — SocialReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
- 0802776965
- Pages
- 152
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
- Published
- 2004
- Type
- Fiction