What reading level is There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark!?

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! by Lucille Colandro is at a Level 3-4 reading level. Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! appropriate for?

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8C (Clear).

What genre is There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark!?

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! is fiction — Marine animals. Part of the There Was an Old Lady series.

Does There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! have any content warnings?

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! has a HootRating of 8C (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 There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark!?

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! by Lucille Colandro is 64 pages (approximately 855 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark!

Lucille Colandro

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark!

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Lucille Colandro

There Was an Old Lady

Reading Level 3-4 8C Ages 5-8 Balanced Read Page-Turner

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

Dive beneath the waves with a quirky mermaid who surprises everyone by swallowing a shark! Discover the fun and unexpected things she gobbles up as the adventure unfolds under the sea. Perfect for young readers who love silly and imaginative tales.

Themes

Fantasy World-Building Humor Adventure

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 3-4 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 5-8.

Why we rated There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! 8C

There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 64 pages (approximately 855 words). Strong independent readers around grade 4.8 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! works for readers up to grade 5.8.

Read aloud, There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! takes about 6 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! 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, There was an old mermaid who swallowed a shark! explores fantasy world-building, humor, and adventure — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy world-building, humor, adventure.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 21 more books in the There Was an Old Lady series.