Touch of the clown
Glen Huser
Touch of the clown
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Glen Huser
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
What if a mysterious new friend could open the door to a world full of laughter and surprises? Two sisters meet a man who shows them amazing things beyond their everyday lives. But when one sister discovers a clown college, will she find the joy she's searching for or something unexpected?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction explores themes of friendship and self-discovery as two sisters encounter a local man who introduces them to the art of clowning. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story gently touches on pursuing new interests and personal growth without intense content. Parents can expect a lighthearted narrative with imaginative elements centered around clown culture.
Why we rated Touch of the clown 11C
Touch of the clown is written at a Level 6 reading level across 225 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Touch of the clown works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Touch of the clown 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, Touch of the clown explores friendship, coming of age, humor, and adventure — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, coming of age, humor.
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.
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
3/10A 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
- 9780888993571
- Pages
- 225
- Publisher
- Groundwood Books Ltd
- Published
- 1999
- Type
- Fiction