A Sterling Plan: The Yankees, The Durango Kid, and Destiny
Jim Goodridge
A Sterling Plan: The Yankees, The Durango Kid, and Destiny
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Yankees, the Durang
by Jim Goodridge
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if a fourteen-year-old boy could change his family's future all by himself? Jimmy Sterling sets out alone across the rugged Arizona mountains to catch the world's longest sheep drive and earn a man’s wages. But will they even let a boy with no experience join the trail, or will his daring plan lead to something unexpected?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows fourteen-year-old Jimmy Sterling as he embarks on a challenging journey to help his struggling family by joining a sheep drive in 1950s Arizona. The story contains themes of family responsibility, perseverance, and adventure, suitable for readers ages 9 to 12. Parents should note the story involves some mild peril and realistic challenges but is appropriate for this age group.
Why we rated A Sterling Plan: The Yankees, The Durango Kid, and Destiny 9LP
A Sterling Plan: The Yankees, The Durango Kid, and Destiny is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 156 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A Sterling Plan: The Yankees, The Durango Kid, and Destiny works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate A Sterling Plan: The Yankees, The Durango Kid, and Destiny as 9LP ("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, A Sterling Plan: The Yankees, The Durango Kid, and Destiny explores coming of age, family, adventure, and historical — 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 coming of age, family, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LP — 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
2/10A 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
- 9781413740882
- Pages
- 156
- Publisher
- Publish America
- Published
- April 4, 2005
- Type
- Fiction