Home Run Has-Been (Kinetic City Super Crew Series)
Emily Lloyd
Home Run Has-Been (Kinetic City Super Crew Series)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Case of the Sluggish Slugger
by Emily Lloyd
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
Boomer Baxter steps up to the plate, but the crack of the bat sounds different this time—off, uncertain. The crowd's whispers grow louder as his hits miss their mark, and suddenly, questions swirl: Is Boomer really trying? The Super Crew races against time to uncover the truth, but what they find might surprise everyone.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery follows the Kinetic City Super Crew as they investigate a star baseball player's sudden slump, exploring themes of family, friendship, and integrity. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the story balances sports excitement with a thoughtful look at pressure and expectations. There is no intense content, making it suitable for young readers who enjoy mysteries and sports stories.
Why we rated Home Run Has-Been (Kinetic City Super Crew Series) 9LE
Home Run Has-Been (Kinetic City Super Crew Series) is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 160 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Home Run Has-Been (Kinetic City Super Crew Series) works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Home Run Has-Been (Kinetic City Super Crew Series) 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, Home Run Has-Been (Kinetic City Super Crew Series) explores family & relationships, friendship, mystery, and sports & recreation — 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 family & relationships, friendship, mystery.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — 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
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780070070660
- Pages
- 160
- Publisher
- International Marine
- Published
- November 1, 1998
- Type
- Fiction