Hiding hippos

Name: Hiding hippos
Author: Amanda Doering Tourville
ISBN: 9781602702639

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Counting from 1 to 10

by Amanda Doering Tourville

Looking Glass Library; Count the Critters

Reading Level 2 C · Gentle Ages 5-8 Matched Page-Turner

The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Discover the fun of numbers by spotting hippos as they hide one by one! Perfect for early readers, this playful adventure helps children learn to count from one to ten with colorful illustrations and simple text.

Themes

CountingEarly LearningJuvenile literature

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 2 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 5-8.

Why we rated Hiding hippos C (Gentle)

Hiding hippos is written at a Level 2 reading level across 24 pages (approximately 256 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 3 and up can manage Hiding hippos on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

Read aloud, Hiding hippos takes about 2 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate Hiding hippos as C (Gentle) 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, Hiding hippos explores counting, early learning, and juvenile literature — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 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 counting, early learning, juvenile literature.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

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

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

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