Old Tom Goes to Mars (Old Tom)

Name: Old Tom Goes to Mars (Old Tom)
Author: Leigh Hobbs
ISBN: 9780786855148

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Leigh Hobbs

Reading Level 1-2 C · Gentle Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 1st grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Old Tom isn’t just any cat—he’s a space explorer aiming to become king of Mars! With dreams of endless feasts and new friends among the Martians, his wild adventure through the stars is full of surprises. But can a chubby cat handle all the bumps of space travel?

Themes

Adventure Humor Fantasy World-Building Friendship Family

Quick Assessment

This charming early reader book follows Old Tom, a mischievous cat who embarks on a humorous journey to Mars in search of freedom and fun. The story features lighthearted space adventure themes suitable for ages 5-8, with simple language ideal for emerging readers. Parents can expect playful humor and a focus on imagination without any intense content.

Why we rated Old Tom Goes to Mars (Old Tom) C (Gentle)

Old Tom Goes to Mars (Old Tom) is written at a Level 1-2 reading level across 112 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 3 and up can manage Old Tom Goes to Mars (Old Tom) on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Old Tom Goes to Mars (Old Tom) as C (Gentle) 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, Old Tom Goes to Mars (Old Tom) explores adventure, humor, fantasy world-building, friendship, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, humor, fantasy world-building.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?