Team Taekwondo
Lucas Lee
Team Taekwondo
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Ara's rocky road to white belt
by Lucas Lee
Illustrated by Beavers, Ethen, illustrator
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
Ara is not your typical turtle—he'd rather study rocks than leap into adventure. But when he meets Baeoh, a fearless tiger who masters taekwondo, Ara's world turns upside down. Can a quiet turtle find the courage to face the Tiger Fitness Challenge and prove he's more than just shy?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This graphic novel follows Ara, a reserved turtle who learns valuable lessons about courage, perseverance, and friendship as he trains in taekwondo with his new friend Baeoh. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers positive role models and promotes physical activity alongside character development. The story is gentle and encouraging, with no content concerns, making it a great choice for middle-grade readers interested in martial arts and personal growth.
Why we rated Team Taekwondo 9LE
Team Taekwondo is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 106 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Team Taekwondo works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Team Taekwondo 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 Taekwondo explores animals, friendship, martial arts, coming of age, and graphic novels — 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 animals, friendship, martial arts.
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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781623368821
- Pages
- 106
- Publisher
- Rodale
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction