Making the team
J. Scott Savage
Making the team
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by J. Scott Savage
The text is written at a 6th 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
No one expects a football team to be made of monsters, but this one really is! When Nick, Carter, and Angelo discover a spooky secret behind the unbeatable team, they have to team up with their girl rivals to solve the mystery. Get ready for laughs, chills, and a rivalry that flips the game completely!
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle grade fiction blends humor, supernatural elements, and friendship as three boys uncover a monster mystery linked to an extraordinary football team. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story balances thrilling adventure with lighthearted rivalry and teamwork, making it an engaging read for fans of funny and spooky tales. There is mild fantasy violence related to the Frankenstein-like football players, but it is presented in a humorous, non-threatening way.
Why we rated Making the team 11LP
Making the team is written at a Level 6 reading level across 263 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Making the team works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Making the team as 11LP ("Light — Physical") 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, Making the team explores humor, friendship, supernatural, adventure, 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 humor, friendship, supernatural.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LP — Light — PhysicalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
4/10A 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
- 9780062133311
- Pages
- 263
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction