Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Jim & me
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. Its HootRating code, LS, means mild content, mostly social.
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About This Book
Jim Thorpe was the greatest athlete the world ever saw, but his medals were snatched away in a shocking scandal. Now, Stosh and his rival Bobby dive back in time to clear Jim’s name and meet baseball legends like Christy Mathewson. What if saving a hero’s honor could change history forever?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade historical fiction follows Stosh and his rival Bobby as they travel back in time to meet Jim Thorpe, a Native American Olympic champion whose legacy was tarnished by scandal. The story introduces real historical figures and explores themes of sportsmanship, injustice, and redemption. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, it includes mild conflict and historical context without graphic content.
Why we rated Jim & me LS (Mild)
Jim & me is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 195 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Jim & me on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate Jim & me as LS (Mild, mostly social) 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, Jim & me explores friendship, adventure, historical, sports, and multicultural — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, adventure, historical.
- ✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Jim & me carries an award.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LS · Mild · SocialReading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate
Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780060594954
- Pages
- 195
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2008
- Type
- Fiction