Last Man Out
Mike Lupica
Last Man Out
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mike Lupica
The text is written at a 6th 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.
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About This Book
The sharp whistle of the referee cuts through the chilly autumn air, while the thud of a football slamming into leather fills the field. Tommy Gallagher, brave and fierce, charges forward with his team, the Brighton Bears, chasing victory. But when the sirens wail off the field, Tommy's courage is tested in a way no game ever could.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Last Man Out by Mike Lupica is a middle-grade novel blending sports action with themes of bravery, family, and grief. Following 12-year-old Tommy, a devoted football player whose firefighter father faces a life-threatening emergency, the story sensitively explores coping with loss and heroism. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers thoughtful reflections on risk, resilience, and the bonds that shape us.
Why we rated Last Man Out 11ME
Last Man Out is written at a Level 6 reading level across 272 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Last Man Out works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Last Man Out as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") 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 — 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 moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Last Man Out explores sports & recreation, football, family, grief, and heroism — 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, football, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 9780147514912
- Pages
- 272
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Published
- Aug 01, 2017
- Type
- Fiction