Does it fart?
Nick Caruso
Does it fart?
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Definitive Field Guide to Animal Flatulence
by Nick Caruso
Illustrated by Kocak, Ethan, illustrator
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
Sniff! Can you smell that? It's the surprising world of animal farts, where dogs, dinosaurs, and even herrings have their own secret smells. Discover which creatures pass gas, which ones don’t, and why some smells are stinky while others tell a story.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This humorous and educational book explores the science of flatulence across 80 different animals, blending biology with fun facts suitable for middle-grade readers. It offers a lighthearted approach to animal behavior, making it engaging for children aged 9-12 while providing accurate scientific information. Parents should know the book contains playful discussion of bodily functions but presents it in a respectful and informative way.
Why we rated Does it fart? 9C
Does it fart? is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 133 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Does it fart? works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Does it fart? as 9C ("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, Does it fart? explores animal behavior, juvenile literature, humor, and science & nature — 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 animal behavior, juvenile literature, humor.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
9C — 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
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781786488268
- Pages
- 133
- Publisher
- Quercus
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Nonfiction