Where the great hawk flies
Liza Ketchum
Where the great hawk flies
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Liza Ketchum
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
What secrets does a soaring hawk bring on Daniel's 13th birthday? As the bird circles above the farm, whispers of visitors and danger swirl, while Daniel wrestles with his Pequot heritage and his father's customs. When a new family arrives next door, old fears and new tensions ignite—what will happen when past and present collide?
Quick Assessment
This historical fiction set in post-Revolutionary War Vermont follows Daniel, a boy caught between his Pequot mother's heritage and his English father's customs. The story explores themes of cultural identity, prejudice, and the lingering impact of war, making it suitable for middle-grade readers ages 9-12. Parents should note the book addresses historical conflicts and cultural tensions sensitively, fostering understanding of Native American history and early American life.
Why we rated Where the great hawk flies 11ME
Where the great hawk flies is written at a Level 6 reading level across 264 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Where the great hawk flies works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Where the great hawk flies 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, Where the great hawk flies explores multicultural, coming of age, family, historical, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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 multicultural, coming of age, family.
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0618400850
- Pages
- 264
- Publisher
- Clarion Books
- Published
- 2005
- Type
- Fiction