The bully
Paul Langan
The bully
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Paul Langan
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.
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About This Book
Darrell Mercer isn’t just any new kid—he’s the one who stands up to Tyray Hobbs, the toughest bully in school. But facing Tyray is more than just about courage; it’s about changing the whole game. What happens when the bully meets someone who refuses to back down?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of bullying and social values through the story of Darrell Mercer, a ninth-grader who moves from Philadelphia to California and confronts a school bully. Appropriate for ages 9 to 12, it offers a meaningful look at challenges faced by African American students and the importance of standing up to peer pressure. Parents should note the focus on bullying and social dynamics in a high school setting.
Why we rated The bully 9ME
The bully is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 190 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The bully works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The bully as 9ME ("Moderate — 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, social complexity — 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 bully explores bullying, african americans, high school students, social values, and coming of age — 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 bullying, african americans, high school students.
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
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal 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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780944210000
- Pages
- 190
- Publisher
- Townsend Press
- Published
- 2002
- Type
- Fiction