Dave Swung
Karina Richland
Dave Swung
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Book 28
by Karina Richland
The text is written at a 5th 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
The crack of the bat echoes through the warm summer air, dust swirling beneath Dave's feet as he grips his bat tight. Every swing holds the promise of a game-changing moment with the Mudcats. But more than baseball, it's a journey filled with new words and sounds that make reading an adventure all their own.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Dave Swung is a middle-grade fiction book centered around a young boy named Dave who plays on a baseball team called the Mudcats. The story integrates educational elements by focusing on practicing reading words and sentences featuring the glued sound 'ung,' making it suitable for readers around ages 9-12. It combines a relatable sports narrative with literacy development in an engaging and age-appropriate way.
Why we rated Dave Swung 10C
Dave Swung is written at a Level 5 reading level. Strong independent readers around grade 6.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Dave Swung works for readers up to grade 7.0.
We rate Dave Swung as 10C ("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, Dave Swung explores education, children's fiction, sports, 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 education, children's fiction, sports.
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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- ISBN
- 9781962430234
- Publisher
- PRIDE Publishing LLC
- Published
- 2023
- Type
- Fiction