William Bradford
Gary D. Schmidt
William Bradford
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Plymouth's Faithful Pilgrim
by Gary D. Schmidt
The text is written at a 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
William Bradford leaves behind his comfortable life in England to journey across the ocean aboard the Mayflower, seeking a place where he and his fellow Pilgrims can practice their faith freely. Facing a mysterious and challenging new world, he works tirelessly to build a community based on fairness and cooperation with both settlers and Native Americans. His story captures the courage and hope of those striving to create a new beginning.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 8 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include mild peril. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated William Bradford 12LP
William Bradford is written at a Level 8 reading level across 200 pages (approximately 43,459 words). Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, William Bradford works for readers up to grade 10.0.
Read aloud, William Bradford runs about 4.8 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate William Bradford as 12LP ("Light — Physical") 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril.
Thematically, William Bradford explores historical, coming of age, family, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, coming of age, family.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LP — Light — PhysicalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 0802851487
- Pages
- 200
- Publisher
- Eerdmans Books For Young Readers
- Published
- 1999
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 43,459
- Read-Aloud
- ~4h 50m
- Text Density
- Standard