The good, the bad and the very slimy
Robert Lawrence Stine
The good, the bad and the very slimy
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Robert Lawrence Stine
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 mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The squishy, slimy trail glistens under the school lights, leaving a slippery mess wherever Bernie B. goes. Everyone knows him as Rotten School's biggest troublemaker, but now he's trying hard to be someone new—for a girl who's way out of his league. Can Bernie really clean up his act, or will his sticky secrets hold him back?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction centers on Bernie B., a notorious troublemaker at a boarding school who attempts to change his ways to impress a classmate. The story explores themes of self-improvement and school life with humor and lightheartedness. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains mild school-based mischief but no significant content concerns.
Why we rated The good, the bad and the very slimy 9LE
The good, the bad and the very slimy is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 110 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The good, the bad and the very slimy works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The good, the bad and the very slimy as 9LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, The good, the bad and the very slimy explores schools, friendship, humor, 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 schools, friendship, humor.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" 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
- 9780060785925
- Pages
- 110
- Publisher
- Harper Collins
- Published
- 2005
- Type
- Fiction