Touchdown Pass
Clair Bee
Touchdown Pass
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Clair Bee
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
What if winning the big game meant more than just scoring touchdowns? Imagine Chip Hilton, a high school football star, discovering a secret sabotage at the local pottery that could change everything. Can he tackle this mystery while leading his team to victory?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade sports fiction follows Chip Hilton, a high school football player who learns valuable lessons about teamwork, integrity, and community as he uncovers sabotage at a local pottery. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story balances sports action with themes of personal growth and responsibility, making it a positive read for young readers. There is no intense content, making it appropriate for middle-grade audiences.
Why we rated Touchdown Pass 9LE
Touchdown Pass is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 192 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Touchdown Pass works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Touchdown Pass as 9LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, Touchdown Pass explores sports, friendship, coming of age, and teamwork — 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, friendship, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9781433676338
- Pages
- 192
- Publisher
- B&H Publishing Group
- Published
- 1998
- Type
- Fiction