With their eyes
Annie Thoms
With their eyes
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
September 11th: The View from a High School at Ground Zero
by Annie Thoms
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
Imagine being just a student, ready for a normal school day, when everything changes in an instant. At Stuyvesant High School, just blocks from the World Trade Center, students faced a day that would shape their lives forever. Their stories reveal courage and hope amid one of the most unforgettable moments in history.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel presents a powerful collection of monologues from students at Stuyvesant High School during the September 11, 2001 attacks. It offers a sensitive and realistic portrayal of the emotional impact of a national tragedy on young people, suitable for ages 9-12, though parents should be aware of the intense themes of loss and trauma. The book provides a meaningful way to discuss resilience, history, and empathy with children.
Why we rated With their eyes 11IE
With their eyes is written at a Level 6 reading level across 228 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, With their eyes works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate With their eyes as 11IE ("Intense — 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, 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, With their eyes explores coming of age, historical, drama, family, and survival — 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 coming of age, historical, drama.
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
11IE — Intense — 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
- 9780060517182
- Pages
- 228
- Publisher
- Harper Collins
- Published
- 2002
- Type
- Fiction