I Have a Bad Feeling about This
Jeff Strand
I Have a Bad Feeling about This
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jeff Strand
The text is written at a 6th 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
Henry’s stuck in a creepy survival camp that looks like it’s been taken over by zombies. The camp director barks orders like a drill sergeant, and there’s a sign scrawled in what looks like blood. Just when Henry thinks it can’t get worse, something moves in the shadows—what’s coming next?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel blends humor and mild horror as it follows Henry, a reluctant camper sent to a survival camp that’s far from ordinary. The story features some scary and suspenseful moments but keeps a comedic tone throughout. Suitable for ages 9-12, it’s a lighthearted yet thrilling read with no graphic content.
Why we rated I Have a Bad Feeling about This 11LE
I Have a Bad Feeling about This is written at a Level 6 reading level across 266 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, I Have a Bad Feeling about This works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate I Have a Bad Feeling about This as 11LE ("Light — 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, I Have a Bad Feeling about This explores adventure, humor, and survival — 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 adventure, humor, survival.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 9781402284564
- Pages
- 266
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks, Inc.
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction