Game Change
Joseph Monninger
Game Change
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Joseph Monninger
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
The sharp crack of the football echoes across the chilly field as Zeb Holloway catches the ball and feels the rough leather in his hands. Suddenly, everything changes—he’s the starting quarterback with the whole town watching, and the big game is just days away. Can Zeb rise to the challenge and discover what lies beyond his small town?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Game Change follows Zeb Holloway, a middle schooler from rural New Hampshire who becomes the starting quarterback just before the state championship. The story explores themes of sportsmanship, family dynamics in a single-parent household, and young dating experiences, making it suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. The novel offers a thoughtful look at personal growth and community support without intense content.
Why we rated Game Change 11LE
Game Change is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Game Change works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Game Change 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, Game Change explores sports, family, coming of age, friendship, and school — 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 sports, family, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
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
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
- 9781328595867
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Clarion Books
- Published
- 2019
- Type
- Fiction