Game Day
Dan J. Marlowe
Game Day
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dan J. Marlowe
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Tom faces a thrilling challenge on his debut professional football game when he's asked to play a position he's never tried before, testing his skills and courage on the field. As the game unfolds, he learns what it takes to adapt and prove himself to teammates and fans alike.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Game Day 9C
Game Day is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 30 pages (approximately 3,244 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.6 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Game Day works for readers up to grade 6.6.
Read aloud, Game Day takes about 22 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.
We rate Game Day 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, Game Day explores sports, coming of age, friendship, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, coming of age, friendship.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0822464918
- Pages
- 30
- Publisher
- Fearon Teacher AIDS
- Published
- January 1985
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 3,244
- Read-Aloud
- ~22 min
- Text Density
- Light Text