Almost a winner
Molly B. Burnham
Almost a winner
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Molly B. Burnham
Illustrated by Spencer, Trevor (Artist), illustrator
The text is written at a 6th 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
Teddy races through a classroom buzzing with chaos—everyone's trying to break the biggest world record ever! But when his best friends turn into rivals, Teddy’s caught right in the middle. Can he find a way to win without breaking a single record?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction book follows ten-year-old Teddy as he navigates friendships and family life while chasing his dream of entering the Guinness Book of World Records. The story humorously explores themes of competition, teamwork, and resilience, making it suitable for ages 9-12. Its accessible style and positive message about friendship and perseverance offer valuable lessons without intense conflict or mature content.
Why we rated Almost a winner 11LE
Almost a winner is written at a Level 6 reading level across 279 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Almost a winner works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Almost a winner as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") 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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Almost a winner explores humor, friendship, family, adventure, and school life — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about humor, friendship, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062278135
- Pages
- 279
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction