The four racketeers
Owen B. Greenwald
The four racketeers
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Owen B. Greenwald
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The sharp clink of poker chips echoes through the smoky back room, mingling with hushed whispers and the scent of worn leather. Jason Jorgensen, confident and clever, leads his secret crew of high school swindlers in a daring new game that could change everything. But when the stakes get real, will their tricks be enough to keep them safe?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction follows Jason, a charismatic high schooler who leads a secret group of young con artists. The story explores themes of deception and risk-taking as the characters engage in a high-stakes poker scam that introduces real danger beyond typical schoolyard antics. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book involves mild peril and complex social dynamics, making it a compelling read for readers interested in suspense and moral challenges.
Why we rated The four racketeers 11ME
The four racketeers is written at a Level 6 reading level across 216 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The four racketeers works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The four racketeers as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The four racketeers explores swindlers and swindling, deception, high school students, friendship, and adventure — 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 swindlers and swindling, deception, high school students.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9781680761832
- Pages
- 216
- Publisher
- Epic Edge
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction