Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Scholastic Professional Books
Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Scholastic Professional Books
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
The bustling streets of New York buzz around a new girl who just arrived from China. She’s trying to find her place in a world that feels both exciting and strange. But when she hears about a baseball hero named Jackie Robinson, everything starts to change—what will happen next?
Quick Assessment
This early reader fiction introduces young children to themes of cultural adjustment and perseverance through the story of a young immigrant girl in New York City discovering the inspiring story of Jackie Robinson. Suitable for ages 5-8, it supports literacy development with engaging content and reproducible activities. The book gently touches on themes of identity and resilience without intense conflict.
Why we rated Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson 7C
Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson is written at a Level 2 reading level across 17 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson as 7C ("Clear") 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, Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson explores coming of age, family, friendship, sports, and multicultural — 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 coming of age, family, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
7C — ClearNo 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780439044622
- Pages
- 17
- Publisher
- Scholastic Professional Books
- Published
- January 1998
- Type
- Fiction