EllRay Jakes is not a chicken

Name: EllRay Jakes is not a chicken
Author: Sally Warner
ISBN: 9780670062430

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Sally Warner

Reading Level 5-6 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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 mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

What would you do if a bully dared you to stand up but staying out of trouble was the only way to win a big prize? EllRay faces this tough test when Jared, the class bully, pushes him around. Can EllRay prove he’s not a chicken without breaking the rules?

Themes

BehaviorSchoolsBulliesAfrican AmericansFamily

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction follows eight-year-old EllRay as he tries to stay out of trouble for a week to earn a family trip to Disneyland. The story explores themes of bullying, behavior, and family life, with a relatable focus on school challenges and standing up for oneself. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it offers a positive message about courage and self-control.

Why we rated EllRay Jakes is not a chicken LE (Mild)

EllRay Jakes is not a chicken is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 108 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage EllRay Jakes is not a chicken on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate EllRay Jakes is not a chicken as LE (Mild, mostly 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.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, EllRay Jakes is not a chicken explores behavior, schools, bullies, african americans, and family — 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 behavior, schools, bullies.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Gentle

Social

Mild

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?