What reading level is The tale of Angelino Brown?

The tale of Angelino Brown by David Almond is at a Level 6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The tale of Angelino Brown appropriate for?

The tale of Angelino Brown is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11C (Clear).

What genre is The tale of Angelino Brown?

The tale of Angelino Brown is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The tale of Angelino Brown have any content warnings?

The tale of Angelino Brown has a HootRating of 11C (Clear). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The tale of Angelino Brown?

The tale of Angelino Brown by David Almond is 258 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated July 16, 2026

The tale of Angelino Brown

David Almond

The tale of Angelino Brown

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by David Almond

Illustrated by Smith, Alex T., illustrator

Reading Level 6 11C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

A Junior Library Guild selection (JLG.)

The text is written at a 6th 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

Angelino Brown isn’t your ordinary son—he’s a tiny angel with a big personality! When Bert finds him in his pocket, life takes a magical turn that shows how family can come in the most surprising forms. This story proves that love and laughter are the true miracles that matter.

Themes

Humor FamilyFantasyAngelsEngland

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction book follows Bert and his wife as they raise Angelino, a small boy angel found unexpectedly. The story blends humor and family themes set in England, making it suitable for ages 9-12. It offers lighthearted exploration of family bonds without intense or mature content.

Why we rated The tale of Angelino Brown 11C

The tale of Angelino Brown is written at a Level 6 reading level across 258 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The tale of Angelino Brown works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate The tale of Angelino Brown as 11C ("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 tale of Angelino Brown explores humor, family, fantasy, angels, and england — 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 humor, family, fantasy.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — The tale of Angelino Brown carries an award.

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.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.