Night of the living zombie bugs
Dave Coverly
Night of the living zombie bugs
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Speed Bump & Slingshot Misadventure
by Dave Coverly
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 mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Speed Bump and Slingshot dart through the thick forest, their hearts pounding as zombie bugs swarm all around. The eerie buzzing fills the air, and the ground shakes beneath their feet. Can they outsmart the creepy crawlies before it's too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This humorous middle-grade fiction follows two best friends who, as newly minted Eagle Scouts, confront a quirky and thrilling adventure involving cicadas that appear as zombie bugs. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story blends light suspense with friendship and humor, making it an engaging and age-appropriate read with no intense content.
Why we rated Night of the living zombie bugs 9LE
Night of the living zombie bugs is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 138 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Night of the living zombie bugs works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Night of the living zombie bugs as 9LE ("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, Night of the living zombie bugs explores humor, friendship, adventure, zombies, and best friends — 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 humor, friendship, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — 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
- 9781250114006
- Pages
- 138
- Publisher
- Henry Holt Books For Young Readers
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction