Todd Goes for the Goal
Stuart A. P. Murray
Todd Goes for the Goal
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Stuart A. P. Murray
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
What would you do if you got picked for the big soccer team but the players around you were bullies? Todd faces tricky teammates who cheat to win, and now he’s in a new town where he has to prove himself all over again. Can he score the winning goal against his best friend and stand up for what’s right?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Todd Goes for the Goal is a middle-grade fiction book about a young boy navigating the challenges of joining a high school varsity soccer team. It explores themes of bullying, sportsmanship, and friendship as Todd moves to a new town and faces tough teammates and personal dilemmas. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers positive messages about integrity and perseverance without intense content.
Why we rated Todd Goes for the Goal 9LE
Todd Goes for the Goal is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 106 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Todd Goes for the Goal works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Todd Goes for the Goal 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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Todd Goes for the Goal explores sports, bullying, friendship, family, 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about sports, bullying, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780766045866
- Pages
- 106
- Publisher
- Enslow Publishing, LLC
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction