The Football that Won
Michael Sampson
The Football that Won
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Michael Sampson
Illustrated by Ted Rand
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Have you ever wondered what makes a football game truly unforgettable? Picture the crowd roaring as the ball flies through the air, each play building the excitement. But who will score the winning touchdown in this thrilling game?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This early reader uses a cumulative storytelling style to engage children aged 5 to 8 with the excitement of a football game. It follows the progression from kickoff to the winning touchdown, making it accessible for young readers while introducing them to sports vocabulary and concepts. The book is suitable for early elementary readers and contains no content concerns.
Why we rated The Football that Won 7C
The Football that Won is written at a Level 2 reading level across 32 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Football that Won works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate The Football that Won as 7C ("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, The Football that Won explores sports & recreation, children, friendship, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 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 & recreation, children, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
7C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" 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
- 9780805063127
- Pages
- 32
- Publisher
- Henry Holt and Company (BYR)
- Published
- September 15, 1999
- Type
- Fiction