War of the World Records
Matthew Ward
War of the World Records
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Matthew Ward
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What happens when two families locked in a fierce rivalry face off at the World Record Championships? Arthur Whipple, who’s never set a record, teams up with Ruby Goldwin, his unexpected ally, to uncover the secrets behind the mysterious Lyon’s Curse. Can they solve the past before the competition tears them apart?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction explores themes of family rivalry, mystery, and competition as two children work together to unravel a shared secret from their fathers' past. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, it offers an engaging story with moderate emotional and thematic complexity. Parents should note the story involves family conflict and competitive tension but contains no graphic content.
Why we rated War of the World Records 12ME
War of the World Records is written at a Level 7 reading level across 384 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, War of the World Records works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate War of the World Records as 12ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, thematic difficulty — 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 moderate intensity score.
Thematically, War of the World Records explores family, competition, mystery, and friendship — 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 family, competition, mystery.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" 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
- 9781595146922
- Pages
- 384
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction