What reading level is Soccer on Sunday?

Soccer on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne is at a Level 4-5 reading level. Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Soccer on Sunday appropriate for?

Soccer on Sunday is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 9C (Clear).

What genre is Soccer on Sunday?

Soccer on Sunday is fiction — Juvenile Fiction. Part of the Magic Tree House series.

Does Soccer on Sunday have any content warnings?

Soccer on Sunday has a HootRating of 9C (Clear). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Soccer on Sunday?

Soccer on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne is 115 pages (approximately 14,029 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Soccer on Sunday

Mary Pope Osborne

Soccer on Sunday

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Mary Pope Osborne

Magic Tree House

Reading Level 4-5 9C Ages 5-8 Balanced Read Page-Turner

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Jack and Annie travel to Mexico City during the 1970 World Cup to uncover a special secret for Merlin the Magician. Along the way, they meet soccer legend Pelé and discover the magic of teamwork and skill on the field. Their exciting adventure shows how sports can inspire greatness and friendship.

Themes

Adventure Sports Friendship Historical

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 5-8.

Why we rated Soccer on Sunday 9C

Soccer on Sunday is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 115 pages (approximately 14,029 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Soccer on Sunday works for readers up to grade 6.1.

Read aloud, Soccer on Sunday runs about 1.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Soccer on Sunday 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, Soccer on Sunday explores adventure, sports, friendship, and historical — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, sports, friendship.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 11 more books in the Magic Tree House series.

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.