Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Smek for president!
Adam Rex
Smek for president!
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Adam Rex
Illustrated by Keeli McCarthy
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
J.Lo and Tip zoom through space in a spaceship made from a Chevy, chasing a chance to fix a big alien mix-up. Suddenly, they're surrounded by Boov who want to make J.Lo their biggest enemy—right before the most important election ever. Can they clear J.Lo's name before it's too late?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade sequel follows Tip and J.Lo as they embark on a fun and fast-paced intergalactic adventure to clear J.Lo's name among the Boov aliens. The story blends humor, friendship, and sci-fi elements suitable for ages 9-12, with light peril and inventive scenarios. Parents should know the plot includes themes of mistaken identity and political intrigue but remains appropriate for its target audience.
Why we rated Smek for president! LE (Mild)
Smek for president! is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 245 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Smek for president! on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate Smek for president! as LE (Mild, mostly 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, Smek for president! explores humor, adventure, science & nature, friendship, and fantasy world-building — 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 humor, adventure, science & nature.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LE · Mild · EmotionalReading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate
Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781484709511
- Pages
- 245
- Publisher
- Disney-Hyperion
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction