Mr. Tony is full of baloney!
Dan Gutman
Mr. Tony is full of baloney!
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dan Gutman
Illustrated by Paillot, Jim, illustrator
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.
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About This Book
What if your after-school director decided to break a world record? Imagine A.J. and his friends teaming up to make the impossible happen, but will their wild plan actually work? The clock is ticking, and the challenge is bigger than they ever expected!
Themes
Quick Assessment
This humorous middle-grade fiction follows A.J. and his friends as they help their after-school care director attempt a Guinness World Record. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of teamwork and school life with lighthearted fun and no concerning content. It's a lively read that encourages creativity and cooperation.
Why we rated Mr. Tony is full of baloney! 9C
Mr. Tony is full of baloney! is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 100 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Mr. Tony is full of baloney! works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Mr. Tony is full of baloney! as 9C ("Clear") 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, Mr. Tony is full of baloney! explores friendship, school, humor, adventure, and world records — 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 friendship, school, humor.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" 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
- 9780061704000
- Pages
- 100
- Publisher
- Harper
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction