What reading level is Meet Jessica Long?

Meet Jessica Long by Hill, Anne E. is at a Level 4-5 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Meet Jessica Long appropriate for?

Meet Jessica Long is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9C (Clear).

What genre is Meet Jessica Long?

Meet Jessica Long is nonfiction — Juvenile Nonfiction. Part of the Sports VIPs (Lerner Sports); Lerner Sports series.

Does Meet Jessica Long have any content warnings?

Meet Jessica Long has a HootRating of 9C (Clear). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Meet Jessica Long?

Meet Jessica Long by Hill, Anne E. is 36 pages (approximately 1,637 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Meet Jessica Long

Hill, Anne E.

Meet Jessica Long

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Hill, Anne E.

Sports VIPs (Lerner Sports); Lerner Sports

Reading Level 4-5 9C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

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 gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Jessica Long dives into the water with strength and determination, overcoming challenges to become a record-breaking Paralympic swimmer. Follow her journey from early adoption to becoming a global sports icon admired by fans everywhere. Discover how her family and fierce dedication helped her make waves in the world of competitive swimming.

Themes

Sports Family Coming of Age Disability Representation Multicultural

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Meet Jessica Long 9C

Meet Jessica Long is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 36 pages (approximately 1,637 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.9 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Meet Jessica Long works for readers up to grade 6.9.

Read aloud, Meet Jessica Long takes about 11 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate Meet Jessica Long as 9C ("Clear") 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, Meet Jessica Long explores sports, family, coming of age, disability representation, and multicultural — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, family, coming of age.
✓ 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.