Scenes from the epic life of a total genius
Stacey Matson
Scenes from the epic life of a total genius
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Stacey Matson
Illustrated by Kwan, Simon , illustrator
The text is written at a 6th 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
The scratchy buzz of the movie camera fills the air as Arthur juggles secret texts, sneaky friendships, and the chaos of two girlfriends. The school halls echo with whispered plans and unexpected jealousy, all while a blockbuster movie waits to be made. Can Arthur keep it together, or will everything spiral out of control?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Arthur Bean as he navigates friendships, romantic feelings, and the challenges of co-creating a school movie. The story uses emails, doodles, and texts to engage readers and explores themes relevant to preteens, including jealousy and teamwork. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers humor and relatable school-life scenarios without intense content.
Why we rated Scenes from the epic life of a total genius 11LE
Scenes from the epic life of a total genius is written at a Level 6 reading level across 255 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Scenes from the epic life of a total genius works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Scenes from the epic life of a total genius as 11LE ("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, Scenes from the epic life of a total genius explores friendship, family, humor, adventure, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, family, humor.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781443133883
- Pages
- 255
- Publisher
- Scholastic Canada
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction