Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal)

Name: Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal)
Author: Lisa Thompson
ISBN: 0760866864

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The real deal, Blue. teacher guide

by Lisa Thompson

Illustrated by Lloyd Foye and Cliff Watt

Real Deal-Blue; Real Deal

Reading Level 4-5 C · Gentle Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

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. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Discover some of the most clever and surprising tricks people have played throughout history. This fun and fascinating collection reveals the stories behind famous hoaxes and playful deceptions that have left everyone amazed. Perfect for curious minds who love a good laugh and a clever twist!

Themes

HumorHistoryAdventure

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal) C (Gentle)

Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal) is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 32 pages (approximately 929 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 5 and up can manage Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal) on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

Read aloud, Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal) takes about 6 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal) 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, Hoaxes, Fibs, and Fakes (The Real Deal) explores humor, history, 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about humor, history, adventure.
✓ 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?