Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up
Jenn Bishop
Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jenn Bishop
The text is written at a 7th 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
Here’s a secret: Rory’s new life in Cincinnati is full of basketball, new friends, and a rivalry that nobody talks about. When she befriends Abby, she doesn’t expect their dads' feud to slam dunk right into their friendship—but that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows eighth-grader Aurora as she navigates a new city, complicated friendships, and family tensions centered around her father’s new role as a university basketball coach. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and overcoming rivalry in a relatable and age-appropriate way.
Why we rated Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up 12LE
Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up is written at a Level 7 reading level across 304 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up as 12LE ("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, Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up explores friendship, family, sports, 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, family, sports.
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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781797215617
- Pages
- 304
- Publisher
- Chronicle Books LLC
- Published
- 2023
- Type
- Fiction