Ernest Pickle's remarkable robot
Max Dann
Ernest Pickle's remarkable robot
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Featuring Glen's Recipes
by Max Dann
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 mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Here’s a secret: Ernest Pickle isn’t just any kid—he’s a genius who built a robot that can fix up his house and whip up tasty meals. But when a gang of tech thieves shows up, things get way more dangerous than Ernest ever imagined. And that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction follows Ernest Pickle, a tech-savvy loner who creates a multifaceted robot capable of home repairs and cooking. The story introduces themes of technology and friendship while exploring challenges when Ernest faces a gang of high-tech criminals. Suitable for readers ages 9 to 12, it contains mild peril but no graphic content.
Why we rated Ernest Pickle's remarkable robot 9LP
Ernest Pickle's remarkable robot is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 136 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Ernest Pickle's remarkable robot works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Ernest Pickle's remarkable robot as 9LP ("Light — Physical") 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, Ernest Pickle's remarkable robot explores technology, robots, friendship, and adventure — 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 technology, robots, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LP — Light — PhysicalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" 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
- 019554577X
- Pages
- 136
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press, USA
- Published
- 1984
- Type
- Fiction