What reading level is Rump?

Rump by Liesl Shurtliff is at a Level 3-4 reading level (Lexile 660L). Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Rump appropriate for?

Rump is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8LE (Light — Emotional).

Rump is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Rump have any content warnings?

Rump has a HootRating of 8LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Rump?

Rump by Liesl Shurtliff is 264 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Rump

Liesl Shurtliff

Rump

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

the true story of Rumpelstiltskin

by Liesl Shurtliff

Reading Level 3-4 8LE Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

Rump isn’t just any kid—he can spin straw into gold! But magic comes with a price, and Rump’s about to find out how deep a curse can go. With trolls, pixies, and a tricky queen in his path, will his courage and cleverness be enough to save the day?

Themes

Fairy talesHumorMagicFriendship Adventure Fantasy World-Building

Quick Assessment

Rump is a humorous and imaginative retelling of the classic Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, suitable for early readers ages 5-8. It explores themes of magic, friendship, and bravery as a young boy named Rump discovers his unique gift and faces a magical curse. The story includes mild fantasy peril and is appropriate for young readers with a taste for fairy tales and adventure.

Why we rated Rump 8LE

Rump is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 660L across 264 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Rump works for readers up to grade 5.5.

We rate Rump as 8LE ("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, Rump explores fairy tales, humor, magic, friendship, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.