William Tell

Name: William Tell
Author: Paul D. Storrie
ISBN: 9780822571759

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

One Against an Empire : a Swiss Legend

by Paul D. Storrie

Graphic Myths and Legends

Reading Level 3-4 VE · Very Intense · Emotional Ages 9-12 Mature Content Page-Turner

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material. Its HootRating code, VE, means very intense content, mostly emotional.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links.

About This Book

Experience the dramatic legend of William Tell, a skilled marksman faced with an impossible choice to save his son by shooting an apple from his head. This powerful tale unfolds with intense challenges and heroic courage in a vivid graphic format. Discover a story of bravery and sacrifice that tests family bonds and personal strength.

Themes

Historical Family AdventureHeroism

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 3-4 book with very intense content intensity. Note: content intensity (Very Intense) exceeds what the reading level might suggest. Content themes include sexual content, graphic violence, physical danger. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated William Tell VE (Very Intense)

William Tell is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 48 pages (approximately 4,212 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage William Tell on their own.

Read aloud, William Tell takes about 28 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate William Tell as VE (Very Intense, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Sexual Content, Graphic Violence, Physical Danger, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety, Emotional: Loss & Grief.

Thematically, William Tell explores historical, family, adventure, and heroism — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, family, adventure.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 7 more books in the Graphic Myths and Legends series.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 9 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic reading-level-vs-content mismatch.

For Parents

Content Intensity

VE · Very Intense · Emotional

Emotional

Very Intense ←

Physical

Very Intense

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

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

Graphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.