Flying Finish
Dick Francis
Flying Finish
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dick Francis
The text is written at a 6th 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
What would you do if your new job turned out to be way more dangerous than you ever imagined? Henry Grey thought flying racehorses was tough, but when he uncovers a secret cargo, his world flips upside down. Can he survive the risky flight and uncover the mystery before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Flying Finish follows Henry Grey, a young man who takes a challenging job transporting racehorses by air, only to find himself caught in a dangerous mystery. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, the story includes suspenseful moments and mild peril but avoids graphic content. Parents should note the presence of tension related to danger and suspenseful situations.
Why we rated Flying Finish 11MP
Flying Finish is written at a Level 6 reading level across 276 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Flying Finish works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Flying Finish as 11MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Flying Finish explores mystery, adventure, suspense, and coming of age — 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 mystery, adventure, suspense.
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
11MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781417729531
- Pages
- 276
- Publisher
- Turtleback Books
- Published
- September 2005
- Type
- Fiction