Tom Gates
Liz Pichon
Tom Gates
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Pesky Pets and Parties
by Liz Pichon
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
Tom Gates is the funniest kid you’ve ever met, and this time, he’s got three parties to survive, a band that might not exist, and a wild plan involving a dolphin costume! Can Tom keep up with all the chaos, or will his blue face and pesky pets get in the way? It’s all doodles, laughs, and surprises that prove being yourself is the best kind of cool.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This humorous diary-style book follows Tom Gates as he navigates school life, family, and social events with plenty of doodles and lighthearted fun. Suitable for ages 9 to 12, it provides a relatable and entertaining read that encourages creativity and laughter without any mature content concerns. Parents can expect a feel-good story focused on friendship, family, and school experiences.
Why we rated Tom Gates 11C
Tom Gates is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tom Gates works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Tom Gates 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, Tom Gates explores humor, family, school & education, friendship, and juvenile fiction — 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, school & education.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780702313448
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 2025
- Type
- Fiction