Tom Gates
Liz Pichon
Tom Gates
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Everything's Amazing
by Liz Pichon
The text is written at a 8th 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
Have you ever had a million excuses ready for not finishing your homework? Tom Gates has, from dog attacks to spilled water and even lightning! But with his doodles, wild ideas, and a teacher who's not easily fooled, what will happen next?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Tom Gates is a humorous middle-grade novel centered on a boy who constantly finds creative excuses for his late homework. Filled with doodles and everyday school adventures, it captures the ups and downs of school life for ages 9 to 12. The book is lighthearted, with themes around friendship, school, and family, suitable for middle-grade readers.
Why we rated Tom Gates 12C
Tom Gates is written at a Level 8 reading level across 416 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tom Gates works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Tom Gates as 12C ("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 schools, friendship, family, humor, and coming of age — 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 schools, friendship, family.
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
12C — 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780763687939
- Pages
- 416
- Publisher
- Scholastic UK
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction