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Tartabull's throw

Henry Garfield

Cover of Tartabull's throw

Tartabull's throw

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Henry Garfield

Reading Level 6 11MP Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

The crack of the bat echoes under the moonlit sky as Tartabull sprints toward home base, heart pounding. Suddenly, shadows stir in the forest nearby—something wild and dangerous is watching. Just as he reaches the base, a chilling howl cuts through the night, and everything changes.

Quick Assessment

Set in 1967 Maine, this middle-grade novel follows a nineteen-year-old baseball player who becomes entangled in a mystery involving a deadly werewolf. Suitable for ages 9-12, it combines elements of suspense and supernatural fantasy with sports themes. Parents should note the presence of mild fantasy violence and tense moments related to the werewolf threat.

Why we rated Tartabull's throw 11MP

Tartabull's throw is written at a Level 6 reading level across 262 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tartabull's throw works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Tartabull's throw as 11MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

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

Thematically, Tartabull's throw explores fantasy world-building, adventure, sports, and mystery — 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 fantasy world-building, adventure, sports.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11MP — Moderate — Physical
Emotional
Light
Physical
Moderate
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Data confidence: standard

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

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

4/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
3
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

262 pages
ISBN
0689838409
Pages
262
Publisher
Simon and Schuster
Published
2001
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

WerewolvesBaseballMaine

Places

Maine