What reading level is Tom Brown's Schooldays?

Tom Brown's Schooldays by Thomas Hughes undifferentiated is at a Level 6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Tom Brown's Schooldays appropriate for?

Tom Brown's Schooldays is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Tom Brown's Schooldays?

Tom Brown's Schooldays is fiction — Boys.

Does Tom Brown's Schooldays have any content warnings?

Tom Brown's Schooldays has a HootRating of 11LE (Light — Emotional). 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 Tom Brown's Schooldays?

Tom Brown's Schooldays by Thomas Hughes undifferentiated is 256 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated July 16, 2026

Tom Brown's Schooldays

Thomas Hughes undifferentiated

Tom Brown's Schooldays

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Thomas Hughes undifferentiated

Reading Level 6 11LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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 mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

Tom Brown might just be the bravest boy at Rugby School, facing bullies and challenges that would make anyone else run away. His courage and friendship change everything around him, showing how one person can make a big difference. Discover why Tom’s story still inspires kids to stand up and be their best selves.

Themes

Classic fictionFriendship Coming of AgeSchool Life

Quick Assessment

Tom Brown's Schooldays is a classic middle-grade novel set in a British boarding school, exploring themes of courage, friendship, and personal growth. Suitable for ages 9-12, it portrays school life with honest depictions of bullying and the importance of integrity. Parents should note the historical setting and language style, which reflect its 19th-century origins but convey timeless values.

Why we rated Tom Brown's Schooldays 11LE

Tom Brown's Schooldays is written at a Level 6 reading level across 256 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tom Brown's Schooldays works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Tom Brown's Schooldays as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, Tom Brown's Schooldays explores classic fiction, friendship, coming of age, and school life — 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 classic fiction, friendship, coming of age.