Change-up

Name: Change-up
Author: John Feinstein
ISBN: 9780375956362

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Mystery at the World Series

by John Feinstein

Reading Level 7 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

A Junior Library Guild selection

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. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

What secrets can a baseball rookie hide behind a fastball? Stevie and Susan Carol are on the story of a lifetime at the World Series, but when their questions stir up more questions, they realize this game is about more than just baseball. Will they uncover the truth before the final pitch?

Themes

FriendshipJournalismSports Mystery

Quick Assessment

Set against the excitement of the World Series, this middle-grade novel follows two young sports reporters as they uncover mysteries surrounding a rookie pitcher. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of journalism, sportsmanship, and honesty without intense content. The story encourages critical thinking and curiosity in a fun, accessible way.

Why we rated Change-up LE (Mild)

Change-up is written at a Level 7 reading level across 308 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 8 and up can manage Change-up on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Change-up as LE (Mild, mostly 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, Change-up explores friendship, journalism, sports, and mystery — 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, journalism, sports.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Change-up carries an award.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?