What reading level is This way home?

This way home by Wes Moore is at a Level 3-4 reading level (Lexile 640L). Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is This way home appropriate for?

This way home is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is This way home?

This way home is fiction — Fiction.

Does This way home have any content warnings?

This way home has a HootRating of 8ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is This way home?

This way home by Wes Moore is 247 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

This way home

Wes Moore

This way home

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Wes Moore

Reading Level 3-4 8ME Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

The sharp squeak of sneakers echoes on the cracked basketball court, mixing with the distant hum of the city. Elijah’s heart pounds as he chases his dream of basketball glory, but when the streets get rough, he finds something unexpected—a chance to help and heal. Sometimes, the loudest lessons come from the quietest places.

Themes

BasketballComing of Age FamilyCommunityAfrican American Experience

Quick Assessment

This story follows Elijah, a teenager from West Baltimore who dreams of escaping his tough neighborhood through basketball. After a violent incident, Elijah begins helping a veteran fix his home, which leads him to discover deeper values beyond sports and survival. Suitable for early readers aged 5-8, the book gently introduces themes of resilience, community, and life choices, with mild references to gang violence handled sensitively.

Why we rated This way home 8ME

This way home is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 640L across 247 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, This way home works for readers up to grade 5.5.

We rate This way home as 8ME ("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, social complexity — 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, This way home explores basketball, coming of age, family, community, and african american experience — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about basketball, coming of age, family.