Your name is Renée
Ruth Kapp Hartz
Your name is Renée
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Ruth's Story as a Hidden Child : the Wartime Experiences of Ruth Kapp Hartz
by Ruth Kapp Hartz
The text is written at a 4th 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
The sharp scent of pine fills the air as quiet footsteps crunch over frosted leaves. A young girl named Renée clutches her family's secret tightly, feeling both fear and hope in the cold air. Surrounded by whispers of danger and bravery, she learns what it means to be truly courageous.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel tells the story of Renée, a young Jewish girl living in Nazi-occupied France, highlighting the courage of villagers who risked everything to protect her family. It is a sensitive portrayal of the Holocaust from a child's perspective, suitable for ages 9-12, offering historical insight while addressing themes of bravery and resilience. Parents should be aware of the serious historical context and emotional weight of the story.
Why we rated Your name is Renée 9ME
Your name is Renée is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 176 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Your name is Renée works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Your name is Renée as 9ME ("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 — 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, Your name is Renée explores holocaust, jewish history, courage, family, and historical fiction — 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.
- ✓ 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 holocaust, jewish history, courage.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
9ME — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 1879418126
- Pages
- 176
- Publisher
- Biddle Publishing Company
- Published
- 1994
- Type
- Nonfiction