Soccer hero

Name: Soccer hero
Author: Stephanie True Peters
ISBN: 9780316113458

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Stephanie True Peters

Reading Level 3 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 5-8 Matched

A Junior Library Guild selection

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

What does it really mean to be a hero? Rob Lasher is just a regular soccer player—until the day he saves his coach's life right in front of everyone. Now the whole town calls him a hero, but does Rob feel like one deep down?

Themes

SportsHeroesFriendship Coming of Age

Quick Assessment

This early reader story follows Rob Lasher, a young soccer player who unexpectedly becomes a local hero after saving his coach's life. The book explores themes of courage, humility, and the true meaning of heroism, making it suitable for children ages 5-8. Parents should know that the story gently addresses the challenges of unwanted attention and encourages doing the right thing as a natural part of life.

Why we rated Soccer hero LE (Mild)

Soccer hero is written at a Level 3 reading level across 89 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage Soccer hero on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Soccer hero as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, Soccer hero explores sports, heroes, friendship, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, heroes, friendship.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Soccer hero carries an award.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?