No Contest
M. E. Cooper
No Contest
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by M. E. Cooper
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What happens when winning starts to pull friends apart? Katie shines on the gymnastics team, but Eric’s struggles with the swim team make things tricky between them. Can their friendship survive the pressure of competition?
Quick Assessment
No Contest explores the challenges of adolescent relationships set against the backdrop of competitive sports. Suitable for readers aged 13 to 18, it addresses themes of friendship, love, and self-esteem without intense content. Parents should note the story focuses on emotional dynamics common in young adult fiction.
Why we rated No Contest 9LE
No Contest is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 192 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, No Contest works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate No Contest as 9LE ("Light — Emotional") 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, No Contest explores friendship, coming of age, family, sports, and romance — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, coming of age, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780590404259
- Pages
- 192
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- March 1987
- Type
- Fiction