Breaking the ice
Gail Nall
Breaking the ice
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Gail Nall
The text is written at a 7th 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
Kaitlin skates hard, heart pounding, but suddenly—she loses her cool right in front of the judges! Now she’s kicked out of her fancy club and sent to the 'Fall Down Club,' where everyone thinks she’s a joke. Can she turn things around before the big competition, or will the pranks and pressure be too much?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Kaitlin, a passionate figure skater who faces setbacks after a public meltdown costs her place in a prestigious club. The story explores themes of resilience, friendship, and overcoming adversity, suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the book includes mild bullying through practical jokes but ultimately delivers a positive message about perseverance.
Why we rated Breaking the ice 12LE
Breaking the ice is written at a Level 7 reading level across 306 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Breaking the ice works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Breaking the ice as 12LE ("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, Breaking the ice explores sports, family, friendship, coming of age, and humor — 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 sports, family, friendship.
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
12LE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781481419116
- Pages
- 306
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction