The animal book

Name: The animal book
Author: Steve Jenkins
ISBN: 9780547557991

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--and Most Surprising--animals on Earth

by Steve Jenkins

Reading Level 6 C · Gentle Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

2014 ALA Notable Children's Books List National Science Teachers Association 2014 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Grades K-12

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. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

What if you could dive into the world of over 300 incredible animals? Imagine discovering surprising secrets about creatures big and small, from the fastest flyers to the sneakiest swimmers. But can you handle all the amazing facts that might just change how you see the animal kingdom?

Themes

AnimalsScience & NatureJuvenile literature

Quick Assessment

This nonfiction book offers fascinating facts about more than 300 animals, engaging children ages 9 to 12 with vivid illustrations and clear explanations. It encourages curiosity about nature and wildlife without any content concerns, making it a great educational resource for middle-grade readers.

Why we rated The animal book C (Gentle)

The animal book is written at a Level 6 reading level across 208 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage The animal book on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The animal book 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, The animal book explores animals, science & nature, 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about animals, science & nature, juvenile literature.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — The animal book carries 2 awards.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

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: standard

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