What reading level is Sports great Jim Kelly?

Sports great Jim Kelly by Denis J. Harrington is at a Level 5-6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Sports great Jim Kelly appropriate for?

Sports great Jim Kelly is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10C (Clear).

What genre is Sports great Jim Kelly?

Sports great Jim Kelly is nonfiction. Part of the Sports Great series.

Does Sports great Jim Kelly have any content warnings?

Sports great Jim Kelly has a HootRating of 10C (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 Sports great Jim Kelly?

Sports great Jim Kelly by Denis J. Harrington is 64 pages (approximately 12,291 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Sports great Jim Kelly

Denis J. Harrington

Sports great Jim Kelly

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Denis J. Harrington

Sports Great

Reading Level 5-6 10C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

The text is written at a 5th 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

Discover the inspiring journey of Jim Kelly, the legendary quarterback who led the Buffalo Bills to football greatness. Follow his challenges and triumphs on and off the field that shaped his remarkable career. Perfect for young sports fans eager to learn about determination and teamwork.

Themes

SportsBiographyComing of Age Family Adventure

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5-6 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Sports great Jim Kelly 10C

Sports great Jim Kelly is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 64 pages (approximately 12,291 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.8 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Sports great Jim Kelly works for readers up to grade 7.8.

Read aloud, Sports great Jim Kelly runs about 1.4 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Sports great Jim Kelly as 10C ("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, Sports great Jim Kelly explores sports, biography, coming of age, family, 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, biography, coming of age.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 63 more books in the Sports Great series.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

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.