Saving the team
Alex Morgan
Saving the team
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Alex Morgan
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
The sharp whistle blows, and the grass smells fresh after a morning rain. Cleats dig into the wet field as the crowd's cheers echo around you. Can one girl’s courage really save the team when the game is on the line?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Written by Olympic gold-medalist Alex Morgan, this middle-grade novel follows a young girl navigating the challenges of soccer and teamwork. It's an inspiring story about self-belief, friendship, and family, suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. The book includes illustrations and promotes positive messages about sportsmanship and perseverance.
Why we rated Saving the team 9LE
Saving the team is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 169 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Saving the team works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Saving the team as 9LE ("Light — Emotional") 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, Saving the team explores sports & recreation, soccer stories, families, girls & women, and friendship — 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 & recreation, soccer stories, families.
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
9LE — Light — EmotionalNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 9781442485709
- Pages
- 169
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction