Behind the line
Ralph Henry Barbour
Behind the line
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Story of College Life and Football
by Ralph Henry Barbour
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Hal Paine sprints down the field, the crowd roaring around him as he dodges tackle after tackle. Sweat stings his eyes, and the clock is ticking down—can he make the play that will change everything? But just as he reaches the goal line, something unexpected happens...
Quick Assessment
"Behind the Line" by Ralph Henry Barbour is a coming-of-age sports novel set in early 20th-century American college life. It follows Hal Paine, a young football player facing both the physical demands of the game and personal and academic challenges. Suitable for teens, this story explores themes of friendship, sportsmanship, and perseverance within a historical sports context.
Why we rated Behind the line 9LE
Behind the line is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 180 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Behind the line works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Behind the line as 9LE ("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, Behind the line explores sports, friendship, coming of age, and historical — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, friendship, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781426470868
- Pages
- 180
- Publisher
- BoD – Books on Demand
- Published
- January 30, 2007
- Type
- Fiction