Chomp!
Carl Hiaasen
Chomp!
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Fast and Furious Food Chain Card Game with Cards
by Carl Hiaasen
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
The thick, humid air buzzes with the screech of bats and the splash of gators in murky waters. Wahoo Cray is caught in a wild adventure where animals bite, storms roar, and a TV star goes missing deep in the Everglades. Danger and laughter swirl together in a story that’s as wild as Florida itself.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Chomp! by Carl Hiaasen is a humorous middle-grade novel about Wahoo Cray, whose father works on a reality TV show in the Florida Everglades. The story includes encounters with wild animals, mild peril, and themes of friendship and bravery, suitable for ages 9-12. While the book features some tense moments like animal bites and a storm, it balances humor with adventure without intense violence or mature content.
Why we rated Chomp! 12LE
Chomp! is written at a Level 7 reading level across 322 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Chomp! works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Chomp! as 12LE ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Fantasy Violence, Fear & Anxiety.
Thematically, Chomp! explores animals - marine life, adventure, friendship, humor, and survival — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about animals - marine life, adventure, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Squirm
Carl Hiaasen
Squirm
Carl Hiaasen
Chomp, crunch, chew!
Charles Reasoner
Chomp, crunch, chew!
Charles Reasoner
Skinny dip
Carl Hiaasen
Skinny dip
Carl Hiaasen
Chomper
Donald F. Glut
Chomper
Donald F. Glut
I Will Chomp You!
Jory John
I Will Chomp You!
Jory John
Croc and Gator Attacks (Animal Attacks)
Patrick J. Fitzgerald
Croc and Gator Attacks (Animal Attacks)
Patrick J. Fitzgerald
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781888439342
- Pages
- 322
- Publisher
- Yearling
- Published
- November 2000
- Type
- Fiction