That toad is mine
Barbara Shook Hazen
That toad is mine
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Barbara Shook Hazen
Illustrated by Manning, Jane, illustrator
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.
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About This Book
What happens when two best friends find a toad and both want to keep it? They usually share everything, but this toad might just be too tricky to share fairly. Will they find a way to solve their toad-sized problem or will it hop away for good?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This rhyming story explores friendship and sharing through the playful conflict over a found toad. Suitable for children ages 9-12, it gently addresses cooperation and respect for nature without any distressing content. The book promotes positive social values and is ideal for middle-grade readers.
Why we rated That toad is mine 9C
That toad is mine is written at a Level 4-5 reading level. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, That toad is mine works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate That toad is mine as 9C ("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, That toad is mine explores friendship, sharing, juvenile fiction, nature, and rhyming stories — 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 friendship, sharing, juvenile fiction.
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
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- ISBN
- 9780439072441
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 1998
- Type
- Fiction