Play Ball! the Story of Little League Baseball, 2nd Edition
Robin Van Auken
Play Ball! the Story of Little League Baseball, 2nd Edition
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Story of Little League Baseball
by Robin Van Auken
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
The crack of the bat echoes through the crowded field as the bases light up with runners sprinting for home. Every slide, catch, and pitch tells a story bigger than the game itself. But what secrets lie behind the game that millions of kids play each year?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This engaging book explores the history and cultural significance of Little League Baseball, capturing how the sport has become a beloved American tradition for children ages 9 to 12. With over 140 illustrations, it offers an informative look at the game's evolution and its connection to broader American history. The content is appropriate for middle-grade readers and contains no mature themes.
Why we rated Play Ball! the Story of Little League Baseball, 2nd Edition 11C
Play Ball! the Story of Little League Baseball, 2nd Edition is written at a Level 6 reading level across 280 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Play Ball! the Story of Little League Baseball, 2nd Edition works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Play Ball! the Story of Little League Baseball, 2nd Edition as 11C ("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, Play Ball! the Story of Little League Baseball, 2nd Edition explores sports, historical, and family — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, historical, family.
- ✓ 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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780692144114
- Pages
- 280
- Publisher
- Penn State University Press
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Nonfiction