The bad apple

Name: The bad apple
Author: T. R. Burns
ISBN: 9781442440296

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by T. R. Burns

Merits of Mischief

Reading Level 4-5 ME · Moderate · Emotional Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

This lively collection of poems explores a wide range of topics, from the everyday wonders of nature to complex social issues around the world. With humor and heart, the verses invite readers to see meaning in unexpected places and reflect on diverse experiences. Each poem offers a fresh perspective on life’s challenges and surprises.

Themes

Humor Social Justice MulticulturalPoetry

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include social issues, cultural conflict, identity & self-discovery. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated The bad apple ME (Moderate)

The bad apple is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 354 pages (approximately 59,733 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage The bad apple on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

Read aloud, The bad apple runs about 6.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate The bad apple as ME (Moderate, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Social Issues, Cultural Conflict, Identity & Self-Discovery.

Thematically, The bad apple explores humor, social justice, multicultural, and poetry — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about humor, social justice, multicultural.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

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

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.