In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Bette Bao Lord
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Bette Bao Lord
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.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
The crack of a baseball bat echoes through the busy streets of Brooklyn, mixing with the smells of street food and city sounds. Shirley Temple Wong feels the rough leather of the baseball glove for the first time, and suddenly, a new world opens up to her far from home. As she learns the game, she also finds a place where she belongs, but the journey is just beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Shirley Temple Wong, a young Chinese immigrant adjusting to life in 1940s Brooklyn. Through her discovery of baseball and the story of Jackie Robinson, readers explore themes of cultural identity, adaptation, and friendship. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book gently addresses challenges of immigration and fitting in without intense conflict.
Why we rated In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson 9LN
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 170 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson as 9LN ("Light — Neutral") 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: New Experience, Cultural Adjustment.
Thematically, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson explores new experience, asian american, schools, chinese americans, and friendship — 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 new experience, asian american, schools.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LN — Light — NeutralLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson.
Betty Bao Lord
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson.
Betty Bao Lord
Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Scholastic Professional Books
Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Scholastic Professional Books
Jackie Robinson
Stephanie Sammartino McPherson
Jackie Robinson
Stephanie Sammartino McPherson
Jackie Robinson
Time Magazine
Jackie Robinson
Time Magazine
Jackie Robinson
Cynthia Fitterer Klingel
Jackie Robinson
Cynthia Fitterer Klingel
Jackie Robinson
Grace Hansen
Jackie Robinson
Grace Hansen
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780808575993
- Pages
- 170
- Publisher
- Turtleback Books
- Published
- October 1999
- Type
- Fiction