Breakaway run
David Klass
Breakaway run
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by David Klass
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
The sharp whistle of the referee cuts through the humid air as Tony races down the soccer field, his heart pounding with every step. Away from home and caught between two worlds, the smell of salty ocean breeze mixes with his worries about his parents' split. Can Tony find a new team, a new family, and maybe even himself in a faraway place?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Breakaway Run follows Tony, a 17-year-old soccer enthusiast dealing with his parents' divorce, as he spends several months living with a family in Atami, Japan. This middle-grade novel explores themes of family change, cultural adjustment, and personal growth, suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. The story handles emotional topics sensitively and includes cultural insights without intense content.
Why we rated Breakaway run 9LE
Breakaway run is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 169 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Breakaway run works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Breakaway run 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, Breakaway run explores family, sports, cultural adjustment, divorce, 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, sports, cultural adjustment.
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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0525671900
- Pages
- 169
- Publisher
- Dutton Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 1987
- Type
- Fiction