The stick man with a big bum
Eric Trum
The stick man with a big bum
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Children's Book for Ages 7-12
by Eric Trum
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
Here's a secret: Eric Trum isn't just any stick man—he has the biggest bum you've ever seen! He just popped to life and is on a quest to banish boredom with clever codes, string phones, and even his own comic strip. But when his big bum and a pesky neighbor start causing trouble, that's only the beginning of his adventures!
Themes
Quick Assessment
This humorous middle-grade book follows Eric Trum, a stick man with a notably large bum, as he explores creative activities like secret codes and comic-making. The story encourages imagination and problem-solving while dealing with lighthearted challenges and neighborly conflicts. Suitable for children ages 7-12, it offers gentle humor and a warm conclusion without any concerning content.
Why we rated The stick man with a big bum 9C
The stick man with a big bum is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 116 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The stick man with a big bum works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The stick man with a big bum 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 stick man with a big bum explores humor, friendship, creativity, 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 humor, friendship, creativity.
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
- 9781499225143
- Pages
- 116
- Publisher
- Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction