The fortunate few
Tim Kennemore
The fortunate few
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tim Kennemore
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
What if every day of your life was spent training to be the best gymnast in the world? Imagine starting at age five, with the whole future riding on your flips and jumps. Fourteen-year-old Jodie Bell lives this reality—but what happens when the pressure to stay on top becomes too much?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a future society where girls train as professional gymnasts from a very young age, this middle-grade novel follows fourteen-year-old Jodie Bell, the highest paid gymnast of her generation. The story explores themes of ambition, greed, and the challenges of intense competition. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers insight into the pressures of professional sports with light thematic complexity.
Why we rated The fortunate few 9LE
The fortunate few is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 107 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The fortunate few works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The fortunate few 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, The fortunate few explores avarice, sports, coming of age, and family — 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 avarice, sports, coming of age.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0571117325
- Pages
- 107
- Publisher
- Faber and Faber
- Published
- 1981
- Type
- Fiction