Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Legends
Howard Bryant
Legends
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Football
by Howard Bryant
The text is written at a 8th 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
These aren’t just any football games — they’re the greatest Super Bowls ever played, packed with unforgettable moments and legendary heroes. From last-second touchdowns to jaw-dropping plays, each story shows how football legends are made. Discover why these games still thrill fans and change the sport forever.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This book explores the history of professional football through detailed highlights of twenty iconic Super Bowl games, making it an engaging introduction for middle-grade readers interested in sports and history. Suitable for ages 9-12, it combines entertaining facts with accessible language to inspire young readers. The content is appropriate for this age group, focusing on sportsmanship and historical significance without graphic or sensitive material.
Why we rated Legends 12LP
Legends is written at a Level 8-9 reading level with a Lexile measure of 1100L across 305 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Legends works for readers up to grade 10.5.
We rate Legends as 12LP ("Light — Physical") 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, Legends explores sports, history, friendship, and adventure — 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 sports, history, friendship.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LP — Light — PhysicalNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 9780399169045
- Pages
- 305
- Publisher
- Philomel
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Lexile
- 1100L