Tommy's race
Sharon Hambrick
Tommy's race
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sharon Hambrick
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
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a true friend? Tommy and his club meet William, who uses a wheelchair, and together they take on fun challenges at the park. But can they rally the whole town to help a boy far away? The adventure is just beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Tommy's Race is a heartwarming story about friendship, inclusion, and community spirit, suited for early readers aged 5 to 8. The book explores themes of disability awareness and social kindness as Tommy and his friends support a boy with polio in Kenya through a fundraising project. It offers positive messages about teamwork and empathy without intense content.
Why we rated Tommy's race 8LE
Tommy's race is written at a Level 3 reading level across 95 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tommy's race works for readers up to grade 5.0.
We rate Tommy's race as 8LE ("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, Tommy's race explores friendship, people with disabilities, clubs, and moneymaking projects — 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 friendship, people with disabilities, clubs.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781591662860
- Pages
- 95
- Publisher
- Bob Jones University Press
- Published
- 2004
- Type
- Fiction