Kid Curry's last ride
Warwick Downing
Kid Curry's last ride
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Warwick Downing
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
Have you ever met someone who claims to be a famous outlaw? Imagine spending your summer in a quiet Wyoming town, only to discover a mysterious old man who says he was Kid Curry, part of Butch Cassidy's legendary gang. What secrets will Alex uncover, and can he trust the stories he hears?
Quick Assessment
Set in the 1930s, this middle-grade novel follows Alex as he spends the summer with his grandmother in Wyoming and meets an intriguing elderly man who claims to be Kid Curry, a member of Butch Cassidy's gang. The story explores themes of history, mystery, and adventure appropriate for readers ages 9 to 12, with a gentle approach to the era's challenges and no graphic content.
Why we rated Kid Curry's last ride 9LE
Kid Curry's last ride is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 166 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kid Curry's last ride works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Kid Curry's last ride as 9LE ("Light — Emotional") 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, Kid Curry's last ride explores adventure, historical, mystery, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, historical, mystery.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780064404211
- Pages
- 166
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Published
- 1992
- Type
- Fiction