The great all-time excuse book
Maureen Kushner
The great all-time excuse book
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Maureen Kushner
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
A loud crash echoes through the classroom! Someone shouts, "It wasn't me!" but the excuses start flying fast and funny. What wild reason will come next to explain the mess?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This humorous book offers a collection of silly and creative excuses that children might relate to in everyday situations at school, home, and around the neighborhood. Suitable for early readers aged 5 to 8, it encourages playful language use and imagination with light juvenile humor.
Why we rated The great all-time excuse book 8C
The great all-time excuse book is written at a Level 3 reading level across 96 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The great all-time excuse book works for readers up to grade 5.0.
We rate The great all-time excuse book as 8C ("Clear") 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 great all-time excuse book explores wit and humor, juvenile humor, and excuses — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about wit and humor, juvenile humor, excuses.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Based on content and theme analysis
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0806969644
- Pages
- 96
- Publisher
- Sterling Publishing Company Incorporated
- Published
- 1990
- Type
- Fiction