The Prince of Fenway Park
Julianna Baggott
The Prince of Fenway Park
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Julianna Baggott
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
Twelve-year-old Oscar feels like a curse follows him everywhere, just like the Boston Red Sox, who haven't won in decades. Sent to live with his mysterious, ailing father near Fenway Park, Oscar discovers a hidden world beneath the stadium where magical beings are trapped by a powerful jinx. To set them free and help his beloved team win, Oscar must face challenges from creatures who want the curse to stay forever.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include mild peril, fear & anxiety, divorce & family change. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated The Prince of Fenway Park 9LE
The Prince of Fenway Park is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 336 pages (approximately 61,131 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.2 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Prince of Fenway Park works for readers up to grade 6.2.
Read aloud, The Prince of Fenway Park runs about 6.8 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The Prince of Fenway Park 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Fear & Anxiety, Divorce & Family Change.
Thematically, The Prince of Fenway Park explores baseball, family, adventure, fantasy world-building, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about baseball, family, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 9780060872427
- Pages
- 336
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2009
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 61,131
- Read-Aloud
- ~6h 48m
- Text Density
- Standard