Satch & me
Dan Gutman
Satch & me
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
a baseball card adventure
by Dan Gutman
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
Satchel Paige might just be the fastest pitcher ever—and Joe can prove it by traveling through time! Using magical baseball cards, Joe and his friend Flip race back to the days of the Negro leagues to see history in action. But can they uncover the truth about a legend before time runs out?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction book follows Joe and Flip as they use time travel via vintage baseball cards to explore the legacy of Satchel Paige, a legendary pitcher in the Negro leagues. Suitable for ages 9-12, it provides a fun and engaging way to learn about African American history and baseball. The story contains no intense content, making it appropriate for young readers interested in sports and history.
Why we rated Satch & me 9C
Satch & me is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 175 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Satch & me works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Satch & me 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, Satch & me explores historical, sports, african americans, friendship, and adventure — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, sports, african americans.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780439928236
- Pages
- 175
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 2007
- Type
- Fiction