Team player
Dean Hughes
Team player
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dean Hughes
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 mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Have you ever felt like someone else was getting all the attention even when you’re giving it your all? Imagine being part of a baseball team where your best friends shine, but some teammates won’t stop bragging. Can you keep your cool and still be a true team player?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of friendship, teamwork, and dealing with jealousy in a sports setting. It is appropriate for ages 9-12 and offers a thoughtful look at children’s worries about fitting in and handling competitive feelings. The story encourages positive social skills and emotional growth through relatable situations.
Why we rated Team player 9LE
Team player is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 115 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Team player works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Team player as 9LE ("Light — 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, Team player explores sports, teamwork, friendship, and worry in children — 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, teamwork, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780689819360
- Pages
- 115
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
- Published
- 1999
- Type
- Fiction