Jackie & me
Dan Gutman
Jackie & me
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
a baseball card adventure
by Dan Gutman
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 you could jump back in time just by holding a baseball card? Imagine stepping into the shoes of a boy who suddenly becomes part of history, meeting the legendary Jackie Robinson and experiencing the challenges he faced. How will Joe handle being a black boy in 1947 and changing the game forever?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Joe, a boy who travels back to 1947 using baseball cards and experiences life as a black child meeting Jackie Robinson. The story introduces young readers to important themes of race relations and history through an engaging, age-appropriate narrative. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively explores historical challenges without graphic content.
Why we rated Jackie & me 9MS
Jackie & me is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 145 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Jackie & me works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Jackie & me as 9MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Jackie & me explores afro-americans, race relations, baseball, friendship, 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 afro-americans, race relations, baseball.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9MS — Moderate — SocialLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
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
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780380800841
- Pages
- 145
- Publisher
- Harpercollins Childrens Books
- Published
- 2000
- Type
- Fiction