Teddy Mars
Molly B. Burnham
Teddy Mars
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Almost a World Record Breaker
by Molly B. Burnham
Illustrated by Spencer, Trevor (Artist), 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
What if you had six siblings who were anything but ordinary, and the only way to stand out was to break a world record? Imagine Teddy Mars, a ten-year-old with a big dream: to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. But can he find the perfect, record-breaking idea before his quirky family steals the spotlight?
Quick Assessment
Teddy Mars is a middle-grade fiction book about a ten-year-old boy aiming to distinguish himself from his unusual siblings by setting a world record. The story combines humor and family dynamics, making it suitable for readers ages 9 to 12. Parents can expect lighthearted themes involving family life, animals, and funny situations without any intense content.
Why we rated Teddy Mars 11C
Teddy Mars is written at a Level 6 reading level across 215 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Teddy Mars works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Teddy Mars as 11C ("Clear") 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, Teddy Mars explores humor, family, animals, and world records — 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 humor, family, animals.
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
11C — ClearNo 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
- 9780545908566
- Pages
- 215
- Publisher
- Scholastic, Inc.
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction