Fast break
Mike Lupica
Fast break
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mike Lupica
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
After losing his mother, twelve-year-old Jayson pours his heart into basketball while navigating life in a new foster home with a family very different from his own. As he adjusts to unexpected changes and challenges, Jayson must confront his feelings and face off against his old teammates in an important championship game. This story explores resilience, friendship, and the power of embracing new beginnings.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include divorce & family change, racial discrimination, mild peril. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Fast break 10ME
Fast break is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 261 pages (approximately 59,685 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.2 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Fast break works for readers up to grade 7.2.
Read aloud, Fast break runs about 6.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Fast break as 10ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Divorce & Family Change, Racial Discrimination, Mild Peril.
Thematically, Fast break explores basketball, foster care, race relations, coming of age, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about basketball, foster care, race relations.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
6/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780399256066
- Pages
- 261
- Publisher
- Viking Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 59,685
- Read-Aloud
- ~6h 38m
- Text Density
- Standard