Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the quest for the magic porcupine

Name: Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the quest for the magic porcupine
Author: John Dougherty
ISBN: 9781101996652

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by John Dougherty

Illustrated by Sam Ricks

Reading Level 4-5 C · Gentle Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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 gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face are the most unexpected heroes you’ll ever meet—because sometimes, being a little smelly and a bit silly is exactly what you need to save the day. Their wild quest to catch mischievous badgers leads them to a magical porcupine with powers beyond belief. What happens next will change everything in ways no one saw coming!

Themes

HumorMagicFamily AdventureAnimals

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction book follows the humorous and adventurous journey of siblings Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face as they seek a magical porcupine to capture escaped badgers. Suitable for ages 9-12, it combines themes of family, magic, and adventure with lighthearted humor. Parents should note the story’s playful tone and fantasy elements, making it an engaging read for children developing a love for imaginative tales.

Why we rated Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the quest for the magic porcupine C (Gentle)

Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the quest for the magic porcupine is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 141 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the quest for the magic porcupine on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the quest for the magic porcupine as C (Gentle) 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, Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the quest for the magic porcupine explores humor, magic, family, adventure, and animals — 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, magic, family.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading 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

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?