Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Lu
Jason Reynolds
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.
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About This Book
Lu is the coolest cocaptain you’ve ever met, with swagger, gold chains, and diamond earrings. But being the best isn’t just about flashy style—it’s about learning to play as a true team. Can Lu put his ego aside before the big race to lead his friends to victory?
Quick Assessment
Lu, a confident track star, must learn to set aside his ego as his team heads into the championships and his friendships are tested. Expect warm portrayals of teamwork, family, and friendship, along with competitive trash-talk and emotional moments about loneliness and self-image. Nothing graphic appears here, so the main considerations are the character's struggles with connection and identity.
Why we rated Lu C (Gentle)
Lu is written at a Level 3 reading level across 218 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage Lu on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate Lu as C (Gentle) 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, Lu explores friendship, family, coming of age, and sports — 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 friendship, family, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
C · GentleReading 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
No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781481450249
- Pages
- 218
- Publisher
- Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction