Joaquin strikes back

Name: Joaquin strikes back
Author: Jerry McGinley
ISBN: 0936389583

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Jerry McGinley

Reading Level 4-5 MS · Moderate · Social Ages 9-12 Matched Rich Discussion

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes. Its HootRating code, MS, means moderate content, mostly social.

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About This Book

Joaquin's own soccer coach and teammates were the ones who treated him unfairly, and that's the surprising part. After moving to a new high school, he helps start a soccer team there and learns that the judgments people make before they know you can shape everything. His fight to be seen for who he really is matters to anyone who has ever been doubted before getting the chance to play.

Themes

Sports Friendship Multicultural Coming of Age Social Justice

Quick Assessment

Joaquin, a Mexican American soccer player, faces prejudice from his coach and teammates before moving to a new high school, where he helps start a soccer team. The story explores preconceived notions, personal priorities, and standing up for yourself, with racial prejudice central to the plot but handled without graphic detail. It is a good fit for families looking for a sports story that opens conversations about fairness and judging others.

Why we rated Joaquin strikes back MS (Moderate)

Joaquin strikes back is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 158 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Joaquin strikes back on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Joaquin strikes back as MS (Moderate, mostly social) because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Racial Discrimination, Bullying.

Thematically, Joaquin strikes back explores sports, friendship, multicultural, coming of age, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, friendship, multicultural.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

MS · Moderate · Social

Emotional

Moderate

Physical

Gentle

Social

Moderate ←

Thematic

Mild

Reading 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

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.