Close range
Nick Hale
Close range
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Nick Hale
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
What if you were in Milan for the biggest football tournament ever, but instead of playing, you're caught in a whirlwind of secrets? Jake's dad is the commentator, but Jake suspects he's really on a secret mission for MI6. Now, Jake must navigate a crazy photo shoot for a priceless diamond — and the stakes have never been higher.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Jake Bastin as he travels to Milan for an international soccer tournament where his father is the TV commentator, though Jake suspects a secret spy mission. The story blends sports excitement with mild suspense suitable for ages 9-12, featuring themes of family relationships and adventure. There is no intense violence or mature content, making it appropriate for middle-grade readers interested in sports and mystery.
Why we rated Close range 9LE
Close range is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 199 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Close range works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Close range 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, Close range explores sports, adventure, family, 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 sports, adventure, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
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
4/10A 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
- 9781405249645
- Pages
- 199
- Publisher
- Egmont UK Limited
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction