The book of Shrigley
David Shrigley
The book of Shrigley
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by David Shrigley
The text is written at a 6th 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.
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About This Book
A drawing suddenly comes to life, shouting a silly insult! Weird pets argue, wrestling matches break out, and unexpected secrets pop up on every page. What crazy, funny surprise will happen next?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This book showcases the unique, edgy, and humor-filled artwork of David Shrigley, featuring quirky cartoon panels that explore everyday life with a darkly comic twist. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it includes some rude humor and mature themes like S-E-X presented in a playful but offbeat manner. Parents should note the content's edgy tone and irreverent style, which may appeal to kids with a taste for unconventional comedy.
Why we rated The book of Shrigley 11MT
The book of Shrigley is written at a Level 6 reading level across 221 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The book of Shrigley works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The book of Shrigley as 11MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The book of Shrigley explores humor, art & drawing, everyday life, and quirky characters — 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, art & drawing, everyday life.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MT — Moderate — ThematicReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780811851220
- Pages
- 221
- Publisher
- Chronicle Books
- Published
- 2005
- Type
- Nonfiction