What reading level is Gold medal winter?

Gold medal winter by Donna Freitas is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 760L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Gold medal winter appropriate for?

Gold medal winter is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Gold medal winter?

Gold medal winter is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Gold medal winter have any content warnings?

Gold medal winter has a HootRating of 9LE (Light — Emotional). 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.

How many pages is Gold medal winter?

Gold medal winter by Donna Freitas is 313 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Gold medal winter

Donna Freitas

Gold medal winter

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Donna Freitas

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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 mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

Esperanza Flores didn’t expect to become a star overnight, especially not by stepping in for an injured teammate. But being on the Olympic figure skating team means facing fierce competition—and even sabotage—from those who don’t want her there. Can she glide through the challenges and prove she belongs on ice?

Themes

Dominican AmericansWinter OlympicsWomen figure skatersCompetitionComing of Age Sports Friendship

Quick Assessment

Gold Medal Winter follows Esperanza Flores, a young Dominican American figure skater thrust into the spotlight when she replaces an injured teammate on the U.S. Olympic team. This middle-grade novel explores themes of competition, identity, and resilience, offering readers a look at the pressures of elite sports and the complexities of team dynamics. Suitable for ages 9-12, it features relatable challenges without graphic content.

Why we rated Gold medal winter 9LE

Gold medal winter is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 760L across 313 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Gold medal winter works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Gold medal winter as 9LE ("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, Gold medal winter explores dominican americans, winter olympics, women figure skaters, competition, 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 dominican americans, winter olympics, women figure skaters.