Football genius
Tim Green
Football genius
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tim Green
The text is written at a 6th 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
Troy White can predict football plays before they even happen—any player, any position, any team! When his mom starts working for the Atlanta Falcons, Troy sees his chance to prove he's a football genius. But can he break through tough security and a grumpy coach to help the Falcons win big?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction novel follows Troy White, a boy with an extraordinary talent for predicting football plays, as he navigates the challenges of proving himself to a professional team. Set in the world of the Atlanta Falcons, the story combines sports excitement with themes of friendship, determination, and family support. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains mild suspense and sports-related action without intense content.
Why we rated Football genius 11LE
Football genius is written at a Level 6 reading level across 244 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Football genius works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Football genius as 11LE ("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, Football genius explores sports, friendship, family, and adventure — 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 sports, friendship, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780061122705
- Pages
- 244
- Publisher
- Harper Collins
- Published
- 2007
- Type
- Fiction