The Video King
Shirley Babcock
The Video King
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Shirley Babcock
The text is written at a 4th 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
Brady’s fingers slam the buttons on his Sega Genesis as the real football game suddenly shifts — players move like his game characters! The crowd roars, but something’s wrong: the Mafia is watching, and they’re not happy. Can Brady keep control before everything spirals out of control?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in 1993, this middle-grade novel follows fifteen-year-old Brady as he discovers his video game skills can influence real sports events. The story explores themes of friendship, risk, and responsibility, with some mild peril involving gambling and threats from the Mafia. Suitable for ages 9-12, it blends fantasy and sports with light suspense, and includes references to popular culture that may appeal to young readers.
Why we rated The Video King 9MS
The Video King is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 108 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Video King works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The Video King as 9MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Gambling, Threats.
Thematically, The Video King explores fantasy, sports, friendship, adventure, and coming of age — 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 fantasy, sports, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9MS — Moderate — SocialReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" 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
- 9780595175437
- Pages
- 108
- Publisher
- iUniverse
- Published
- March 21, 2001
- Type
- Fiction