With Clive in India

Name: With Clive in India
Author: G. A. Henty
ISBN: 9781589635524

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The Beginnings of an Empire

by G. A. Henty

Reading Level 7 LS · Mild · Social Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 7th 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, LS, means mild content, mostly social.

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About This Book

Clive isn’t just any young merchant—he’s a hero who wins big fortunes and earns military honors in the heart of India’s bustling empire. His daring adventures show how one person’s courage can change the course of history. But what will happen when he faces the biggest challenge of all?

Themes

Historical Adventure Coming of Age Multicultural

Quick Assessment

This historical fiction novel follows a young English merchant who embarks on a decade-long journey in India, gaining wealth and military honors while supporting British influence during the colonial era. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it offers insight into 19th-century British India but includes colonial perspectives that parents might wish to discuss with their children.

Why we rated With Clive in India LS (Mild)

With Clive in India is written at a Level 7 reading level across 392 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 8 and up can manage With Clive in India on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate With Clive in India as LS (Mild, mostly social) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from social complexity — 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 mild intensity score.

Thematically, With Clive in India explores historical, adventure, coming of age, and multicultural — 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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, adventure, coming of age.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

LS · Mild · Social

Emotional

Mild

Physical

Mild

Social

Moderate ←

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: standard

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