The Miracle Season

Name: The Miracle Season
Author: Kathy Bresnahan
ISBN: 9781940056487

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Kathy Bresnahan

Reading Level 6-7 ME · Moderate · Emotional Ages 13+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

After the sudden loss of their star player and her mother, a high school volleyball team must find the courage to heal and unite amidst deep grief. As they navigate heartbreak and hope, the team discovers the power of resilience and the bonds that keep them strong. Their journey is a moving testament to faith, determination, and the enduring spirit of community.

Themes

Sports Coming of Age Family FriendshipPerseverance

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 6-7 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include loss & grief, emotional. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated The Miracle Season ME (Moderate)

The Miracle Season is written at a Level 6-7 reading level (approximately 76,503 words). Upper Grades (Ages 13+) is the typical interest range for this book — readers in that age band have the maturity and attention span suited to the story, separate from whether they can decode the words.

Read aloud, The Miracle Season runs about 8.5 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate The Miracle Season as ME (Moderate, mostly 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Loss & Grief, Emotional.

Thematically, The Miracle Season explores sports, coming of age, family, friendship, and perseverance — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, coming of age, family.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.