What reading level is Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books)?

Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) by Pam Rosenberg is at a Level 5-6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

Does Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) have any content warnings?

Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) has a HootRating of 10C (Clear). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books)

Pam Rosenberg

Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books)

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Pam Rosenberg

Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books

Reading Level 5-6 10C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

The text is written at a 5th 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

Discover the wild and wacky world hidden in your meals with surprising and icky facts that will both gross you out and make you curious. Perfect for young explorers who love learning about the strange and sticky secrets in everyday food!

Themes

Science & Nature HumorHealth

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5-6 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) 10C

Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 24 pages (approximately 2,038 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.4 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) works for readers up to grade 7.4.

Read aloud, Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) takes about 14 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) as 10C ("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, Eek! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Food (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) explores science & nature, humor, and health — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about science & nature, humor, health.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 3 more books in the Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books series.
✓ 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.