Slimy Stuarts
Terry Deary
Slimy Stuarts
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Terry Deary
Illustrated by Brown, Martin, 1959- 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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
The stench of damp castles and squelching mud fills the air as you step back into the slimy, sticky world of the Stuarts. Imagine kings who pick their noses and never wash their hands, and people who wore smelly fish on their feet! It’s a wild, yucky adventure full of strange customs that will make you both laugh and cringe.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade historical fiction book explores the quirky and often disgusting social customs of the Stuart era in an engaging and humorous way. Suitable for ages 9-12, it uses vivid illustrations and accessible language to make history fun and memorable. Parents should note the book’s focus on gross-out humor and unusual historical facts, which are presented in a lighthearted tone.
Why we rated Slimy Stuarts 11LS
Slimy Stuarts is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Slimy Stuarts works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Slimy Stuarts as 11LS ("Light — Social") 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, Slimy Stuarts explores history, social customs, humor, and juvenile literature — 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 history, social customs, humor.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LS — Light — SocialNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9781407139210
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Nonfiction