Police Training and Excessive Force
Pete Schauer
Police Training and Excessive Force
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Pete Schauer
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The sharp crack of a whistle cuts through the air as officers train hard every day, but when does tough training turn into too much? The buzz of community voices rises, questioning what’s fair when police and people disagree. These stories show how sometimes, the line between right and wrong isn’t so clear.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This book offers a balanced and age-appropriate exploration of police training and the difficult topic of excessive force, suitable for readers ages 9-12. It includes historical events like the 1992 L.A. riots and the 2014 Ferguson protests, providing context for ongoing discussions about police and community relations. Parents should note that while sensitive topics are handled carefully, the book addresses real-world issues that may prompt thoughtful conversations.
Why we rated Police Training and Excessive Force 9MS
Police Training and Excessive Force is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 178 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Police Training and Excessive Force works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Police Training and Excessive Force as 9MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Police Training and Excessive Force explores police, social justice, community, and historical — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about police, social justice, community.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9MS — Moderate — SocialReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781534502291
- Pages
- 178
- Publisher
- Greenhaven Publishing LLC
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction