Captain Awesome gets crushed
Stan Kirby
Captain Awesome gets crushed
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Stan Kirby
Illustrated by O'Connor, George, illustrator
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
What if Valentine’s Day turned into a battle against the evil forces of pink and love? Captain Awesome and Nacho Cheese Man are on high alert in Sunnyview, but when Captain Awesome notices Supersonic Sal getting valentines, everything changes. Can he save the day and survive this tricky holiday?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade humorous fiction follows Captain Awesome and Nacho Cheese Man as they navigate the challenges of Valentine’s Day at school. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story uses simple language and frequent illustrations to engage beginning readers. Themes of friendship, school life, and lighthearted superhero action are explored without any concerning content.
Why we rated Captain Awesome gets crushed 9C
Captain Awesome gets crushed is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 117 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Captain Awesome gets crushed works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Captain Awesome gets crushed as 9C ("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, Captain Awesome gets crushed explores friendship, school, humor, superheroes, and adventure — 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 friendship, school, humor.
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
9C — 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
- 9781442482128
- Pages
- 117
- Publisher
- Little Simon
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction