Epic Athletes
Dan Wetzel
Epic Athletes
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Simone Biles
by Dan Wetzel
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
Feel the roar of the crowd and the soft thud of Simone's landing after a breathtaking backflip. Each twist and turn tells a story of courage, strength, and dreams bigger than the Olympic stage. Her journey from foster care to world champion shows how heart and determination can turn challenges into gold.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Epic Athletes: Simone Biles is an engaging and accessible biography aimed at middle-grade readers, highlighting the life and achievements of gymnast Simone Biles. The book sensitively covers her early experiences in foster care and her rise to Olympic stardom, offering positive role modeling and an introduction to social activism. Comic-style illustrations complement the narrative, making it suitable for ages 9-12 with no intense content concerns.
Why we rated Epic Athletes 9LE
Epic Athletes is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 160 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Epic Athletes works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Epic Athletes 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, Epic Athletes explores biography, sports, family, coming of age, and social justice — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about biography, sports, family.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781250295828
- Pages
- 160
- Publisher
- Henry Holt and Company (BYR)
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Nonfiction