The football girl
Thatcher Heldring
The football girl
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Thatcher Heldring
The text is written at a 6th 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
The thud of the football echoes through the summer air, sweat mixing with the fresh-cut grass scent beneath Tessa’s determined feet. She’s never been just a player on the sidelines—she’s ready to prove she belongs on the field, even if it means changing the game for everyone around her. But can Tessa balance her dreams, friendships, and a new kind of love all in one unforgettable summer?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Tessa, a determined young athlete navigating the challenges of friendship, first love, and pursuing her passion for football. Set during the summer before high school, it explores themes of self-discovery, family dynamics, and social expectations around sports and gender. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story includes realistic family situations and mild romantic elements appropriate for this age group.
Why we rated The football girl 11LE
The football girl is written at a Level 6 reading level across 201 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The football girl works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The football girl as 11LE ("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, The football girl explores friendship, family, sports, coming of age, and romance — 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 friendship, family, sports.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780385741835
- Pages
- 201
- Publisher
- Delacorte Press
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction