The great brain
John Dennis Fitzgerald
The great brain
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by John Dennis Fitzgerald
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Tom crouches behind the big oak tree, eyes darting as trouble brews in the schoolyard. He's about to pull off a clever plan that no one expects — but will it work before the bell rings? Suddenly, footsteps thunder closer, and everything hangs in the balance.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction centers on Tom, a clever young boy who uses his problem-solving skills to navigate everyday challenges. Filled with humor and adventure, it encourages imagination and critical thinking for readers ages 9 to 12. The story is light-hearted and appropriate, with no intense content concerns.
Why we rated The great brain 9C
The great brain is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 175 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The great brain works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The great brain as 9C ("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 brain explores humor, adventure, imagination & play, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about humor, adventure, imagination & play.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780440430711
- Pages
- 175
- Publisher
- Yearling
- Published
- 1967
- Type
- Fiction