Running With the Wind
John Foley
Running With the Wind
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by John Foley
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Jackson’s basketball dreams have vanished, and his world feels like it’s falling apart. When he starts working at a boatyard and learns to sail, everything changes—but can these new skills help him find a way forward? Sometimes, the hardest journeys lead to the greatest discoveries.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel explores themes of loss, family struggles, and self-discovery as Jackson faces the end of his high school dreams and the death of a loved one. Appropriate for teens 13 and up, it thoughtfully portrays challenges like grief, uncertain futures, and family issues, including parental alcoholism. The story provides a realistic look at personal growth through new experiences and responsibilities.
Why we rated Running With the Wind 11IE
Running With the Wind is written at a Level 6 reading level across 210 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Running With the Wind works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Running With the Wind as 11IE ("Intense — Emotional") 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Parental Alcoholism, Grief, Family Conflict.
Thematically, Running With the Wind explores coming of age, family, social issues, self-discovery, and sports — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, social issues.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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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Based on content and theme analysis
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780738710020
- Pages
- 210
- Publisher
- Flux
- Published
- August 1, 2007
- Type
- Fiction