We hold these truths

Name: We hold these truths
Author: Andrew Clements
ISBN: 9781416938903

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Andrew Clements

Illustrated by Adam Stower

Reading Level 6-7 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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 mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Ben, Jill, and Robert sprint through the hallways, their hearts pounding as they race against time to stop the school from being demolished. They know the janitors, Lyman and Wally, are working against them, but this is their last shot to save their beloved school. Will their plan work, or is the school doomed?

Themes

School storiesDetective and mystery storiesFriendship Adventure

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade mystery follows three students determined to save their school from demolition by uncovering a secret plot involving the janitors. The story is appropriate for ages 9-12, featuring themes of friendship, perseverance, and problem-solving without intense content. It encourages readers to think critically about community and standing up for what they believe in.

Why we rated We hold these truths LE (Mild)

We hold these truths is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 258 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 8 and up can manage We hold these truths on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate We hold these truths as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, We hold these truths explores school stories, detective and mystery stories, friendship, 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about school stories, detective and mystery stories, friendship.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

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