The little gentleman
Philippa Pearce
The little gentleman
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Philippa Pearce
The text is written at a 5th 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
A lonely girl’s everyday world brightens when she discovers a charming talking mole with a treasure trove of magical stories from long ago. Together, they share adventures and secrets that span centuries, turning ordinary days into unforgettable journeys. Friendship and wonder blossom in this enchanting tale where history and magic intertwine.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated The little gentleman 10C
The little gentleman is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 200 pages (approximately 27,647 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.4 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The little gentleman works for readers up to grade 7.4.
Read aloud, The little gentleman runs about 3.1 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The little gentleman as 10C ("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 little gentleman explores friendship, magic, animals, and adventure — 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 friendship, magic, animals.
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
10C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
4/10A 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
- 0060731613
- Pages
- 200
- Publisher
- Greenwillow
- Published
- 2004
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 27,647
- Read-Aloud
- ~3h 4m
- Text Density
- Light Text