Decline of the Lawrence Welk empire
Poe Ballantine
Decline of the Lawrence Welk empire
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel
by Poe Ballantine
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
In this follow-up to God Clobbers Us All, "it’s impossible not to be charmed by Edgar Donahoe (Publishers Weekly)," and he’s back for another misguided adventure When Edgar is expelled from college for drunkenly bellowing expletives from a dorm window at 3:00 am, he hitchhikes to Colorado and trains as a cook. A postcard arrives from Edgar’s college buddy, Mountain Moses, inviting him to a Caribbean island. Once there Edgar cooks at the local tourist resort and falls in love with Mountain’s girl, Kate. He becomes embroiled in a love triangle and his troubles multiply as he is stalked by murderous island native Chollie Legion. Even Cinnamon Jim, the medicine man, is no help. Ultimately it takes a hurricane to blow Edgar out of this mess.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 7 book. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Decline of the Lawrence Welk empire Level 0
Decline of the Lawrence Welk empire is written at a Level 7 reading level across 353 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Decline of the Lawrence Welk empire works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Decline of the Lawrence Welk empire as Unrated because the content sits in the "Unrated" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the unrated intensity score.
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.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
Level 0 — UnratedThis book has not yet been rated for content intensity.
Was our "Unrated" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0976631113
- Pages
- 353
- Publisher
- Catapult
- Published
- 2006
- Type
- Fiction