American Pharoah
Shelley Fraser Mickle
American Pharoah
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Triple Crown Champion
by Shelley Fraser Mickle
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
What if a horse with a misspelled name and a chewed-off tail raced against the best and won history? Imagine American Pharoah, who needed earplugs to focus, becoming the first to claim the Grand Slam of American horse racing. Could such an underdog really become a legend?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade book tells the inspiring true story of American Pharoah, a racehorse who overcame unusual challenges to win the prestigious Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic in 2015. Suitable for ages 9-12, it highlights themes of perseverance and teamwork through the perspectives of the horse and his handlers. The content is appropriate with no intense or sensitive material.
Why we rated American Pharoah 11C
American Pharoah is written at a Level 6 reading level across 224 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, American Pharoah works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate American Pharoah as 11C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, American Pharoah explores horses, sports, adventure, and friendship — 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 horses, sports, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781481480703
- Pages
- 224
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction