Kicking & Screaming
Susan Korman
Kicking & Screaming
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Movie Novel
by Susan Korman
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
The whistle blows and the soccer ball zooms toward you! You're the coach of the worst team in the league, and your dad’s team is unbeatable. Can you turn the game around before the final buzzer sounds?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel offers a humorous take on family dynamics and sportsmanship as a dad unexpectedly becomes the coach of his son's struggling soccer team, facing off against his own father’s championship team. Suitable for ages 9-12, it provides lighthearted entertainment with themes of family, competition, and perseverance. Parents should know it contains typical sports-related challenges but no intense content.
Why we rated Kicking & Screaming 9C
Kicking & Screaming is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 144 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kicking & Screaming works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Kicking & Screaming as 9C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, Kicking & Screaming explores sports & recreation, humor, and family — 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 sports & recreation, humor, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780060772536
- Pages
- 144
- Publisher
- HarperFestival
- Published
- March 29, 2005
- Type
- Fiction