Our gang (starring Tricky and his friends).
Philip Roth
Our gang (starring Tricky and his friends).
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Philip Roth
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What if a tricky leader could say anything and get away with it? Imagine a clever man who promises peace but acts in surprising ways, facing off against boy scouts and even faraway countries. How will the people respond when the truth starts to slip out?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade satire introduces readers to a fictionalized political figure inspired by Richard Nixon, exploring themes of power, deception, and public trust through humor and exaggeration. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers a thought-provoking look at politics with some mature themes, including references to violence and political controversies, presented in a way that encourages critical thinking.
Why we rated Our gang (starring Tricky and his friends). 11MS
Our gang (starring Tricky and his friends). is written at a Level 6 reading level across 200 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Our gang (starring Tricky and his friends). works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Our gang (starring Tricky and his friends). as 11MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Our gang (starring Tricky and his friends). explores political satire, friendship, humor, and coming of age — 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 political satire, friendship, humor.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MS — Moderate — SocialReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 039447886X
- Pages
- 200
- Publisher
- New York : Random House
- Published
- 1971
- Type
- Fiction