The king of hearts' heart
Sam Teague
The king of hearts' heart
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sam Teague
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
Harold thinks winning the varsity track team is everything—until his brain-damaged friend Billy shows him how true strength isn’t about speed, but heart. When everything changes, Harold must decide what really matters. It turns out, the biggest victories come from the most unexpected places.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of friendship, disability, and personal growth as thirteen-year-old Harold shifts his focus from his own ambitions to supporting his brain-damaged friend Billy. The story sensitively addresses mental disabilities and highlights the value of empathy and inclusion through the lens of track and field and the Special Olympics. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book encourages understanding and compassion without graphic content.
Why we rated The king of hearts' heart 9ME
The king of hearts' heart is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 186 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The king of hearts' heart works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The king of hearts' heart as 9ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, The king of hearts' heart explores friendship, coming of age, disability representation, sports, and special olympics — 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, coming of age, disability representation.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9ME — Moderate — 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0316834270
- Pages
- 186
- Publisher
- Little Brown
- Published
- 1987
- Type
- Fiction