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Too Many Men

Lorna Schultz Nicholson

Cover of Too Many Men

Too Many Men

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 13+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

What would you do if you were the new kid on the team, trying to prove you belong? Sam just moved to a new city and landed the goalie spot on the Kanata Kings hockey team. But with new friends, school challenges, and his own doubts, will he find where he truly fits in?

Quick Assessment

Too Many Men follows Sam, a young teen who has recently moved to Ottawa and quickly becomes goalie for his hockey team, the Kanata Kings. The story explores themes of friendship, self-confidence, and family dynamics, making it appropriate for middle school and young teen readers. Parents should note it deals with the emotional challenges of fitting in and sibling relationships in a relatable, age-appropriate way.

Why we rated Too Many Men 9LE

Too Many Men is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 128 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Too Many Men works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Too Many Men 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, Too Many Men explores friendship, family, coming of age, sports, and juvenile fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 13+ 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, family, coming of age.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Light
Thematic
Clear

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

128 pages
ISBN
9781550289480
Pages
128
Publisher
James Lorimer & Company
Published
March 2007
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Social IssuesFriendshipYoung Adult FictionFamilySiblingsPeople & PlacesCanadaFamily LifeHockeyMoving, HouseholdResponsabilitéRécitsHockey StoriesResponsibilityRomans, Nouvelles, Etc. Pour La Jeunesse