Kidding around
Alexander N. Howe
Kidding around
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Child in Film and Media
by Alexander N. Howe
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
The faint buzz of a projector flickers in the air, mixing with the rustle of pages and the distant laughter of kids watching their favorite cartoons. Imagine diving into a world where stories about childhood come to life through movies, books, and even playgrounds. It's a journey that reveals how these stories shape what it means to be a kid, but there's so much more beneath the surface.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Kidding Around is a collection of scholarly essays exploring how childhood and children are portrayed in various media forms, including films, books, and cartoons from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It offers a critical analysis of the cultural and political narratives surrounding childhood, suitable for mature middle-grade readers interested in media studies or social themes. While primarily academic, the book provides insightful perspectives on media influence without graphic content, making it appropriate for ages 9-12 with adult guidance.
Why we rated Kidding around 11LT
Kidding around is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kidding around works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Kidding around as 11LT ("Light — Thematic") 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Complex Vocabulary, Non-Linear Narrative.
Thematically, Kidding around explores children in motion pictures, mass media and children, family, and social justice — 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 children in motion pictures, mass media and children, family.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LT — Light — ThematicLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781623560560
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Academic
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Nonfiction