What reading level is Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics?

Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics by Matt Chandler is at a Level 4-5 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

Does Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics have any content warnings?

Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics has a HootRating of 9C (Clear). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics

Matt Chandler

Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Matt Chandler

Sports Illustrated Kids (Capstone); Capstone Captivate; Sports Illustrated Kids Crunch Time

Reading Level 4-5 9C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

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 gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Experience the thrill of football's most unforgettable last-minute plays, where heroes rise and legends are born. Discover incredible Hail Mary passes and daring touchdown runs that change the game in the final seconds. Get ready to cheer for the players who turn pressure into glory!

Themes

Sports Adventure Friendship

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics 9C

Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 49 pages (approximately 3,891 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.6 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics works for readers up to grade 6.6.

Read aloud, Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics takes about 26 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics as 9C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, Football's Greatest Hail Mary Passes and Other Crunch-Time Heroics explores sports, adventure, and friendship — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, adventure, friendship.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.