Ms. Hall is a goofball!
Dan Gutman
Ms. Hall is a goofball!
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 lunch lady was on a mission to make you love vegetables? At Ella Mentry, Ms. Hall is determined to turn A.J. and his friends into veggie fans, but these kids have other plans. Will Ms. Hall's healthy crusade win, or will the gang's love for treats rule the day?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This humorous middle-grade chapter book follows a group of kids dealing with a new lunch lady who insists on serving only healthy food. Aimed at ages 9-12, it uses lighthearted school adventures to engage reluctant readers and encourage a positive attitude toward healthy eating. The story contains mild conflict and playful resistance without any concerning content.
Why we rated Ms. Hall is a goofball! 9C
Ms. Hall is a goofball! is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 105 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Ms. Hall is a goofball! works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Ms. Hall is a goofball! 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, Ms. Hall is a goofball! explores humor, school, friendship, healthy eating, and juvenile fiction — 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 humor, school, friendship.
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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
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
2/10A 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
- 9780062429469
- Pages
- 105
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction