Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The story of Coca-Cola
Lonnie Bell
The story of Coca-Cola
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Lonnie Bell
Built for Success (Smart Apple Media)
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Discover how a company grew from its early days after World War II into a leader in making high-quality electronics. This story explores the journey of innovation and success behind a famous brand. Perfect for young readers curious about business history and technology.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 7-8 book with gentle content intensity. It's a Sweet Spot read — challenging text with gentle themes, ideal for advanced or 2e readers. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated The story of Coca-Cola 12C
The story of Coca-Cola is written at a Level 7-8 reading level across 48 pages (approximately 3,582 words). Strong independent readers around grade 8.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The story of Coca-Cola works for readers up to grade 9.1.
Read aloud, The story of Coca-Cola takes about 24 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.
We rate The story of Coca-Cola as 12C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, The story of Coca-Cola explores history, business, and innovation — 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.
- ✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about history, business, innovation.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there is one more book in the Built for Success (Smart Apple Media) series.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
7/10High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Built for Success (Smart Apple Media) Series
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 1583402926
- Pages
- 48
- Publisher
- Black Rabbit Books
- Published
- 2003
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 3,582
- Read-Aloud
- ~24 min
- Text Density
- Light Text