Hoops

Walter Dean Myers

Cover of Hoops

Hoops

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Walter Dean Myers

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

What if one basketball tournament could change everything? Lonnie Jackson dreams of the big game that might take him away from Harlem, but when his coach Cal faces unexpected challenges, will Lonnie find the strength to keep his team fighting? The clock is ticking, and the stakes have never been higher.

Quick Assessment

Hoops follows seventeen-year-old Lonnie Jackson as he navigates the pressures of a city-wide basketball tournament while dealing with challenges faced by his sidelined coach. This middle-grade novel explores themes of perseverance, community, and the struggles of growing up in Harlem. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, it offers an engaging story that touches on social values without intense content.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Light
Social
Light
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

4/10

Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
6
World Scope
3
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

183 pages
ISBN
9780881038651
Pages
183
Publisher
Turtleback Books
Published
October 1999
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

People & PlacesUnited StatesAfrican-AmericanSocial IssuesValuesBasketballBasketball StoriesAfrican American TeenagersReading Level-Grade 11Reading Level-Grade 12

Places

Harlem (New York, N.Y.)