President Pennybaker
Kate Feiffer
President Pennybaker
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kate Feiffer
Illustrated by Diane Goode
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
What if a second grader decided to run for president? Luke Pennybaker is fed up with all the unfair rules and wants to change everything. But can a kid and his dog really win the biggest election ever?
Quick Assessment
This humorous early reader book follows Luke Pennybaker, a young boy who decides to run for president to address the unfairness he sees around him, with his dog Lily as his running mate. Suitable for ages 5-8, it offers a lighthearted look at leadership and standing up for what’s right, with simple vocabulary and playful illustrations. There is no intense content, making it a safe and engaging read for young children.
Why we rated President Pennybaker 7C
President Pennybaker is written at a Level 2 reading level across 32 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, President Pennybaker works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate President Pennybaker as 7C ("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, President Pennybaker explores humor, friendship, family, and adventure — 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 humor, friendship, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
7C — 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
- 9781416913542
- Pages
- 32
- Publisher
- Paula Wiseman Books
- Published
- August 26, 2008
- Type
- Fiction