Utterly me, Clarice Bean

Name: Utterly me, Clarice Bean
Author: Lauren Child
ISBN: 1841219185

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Lauren Child

Reading Level 4-5 C · Gentle Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Here's a secret: Clarice Bean’s school trophy has vanished—stolen right from under everyone’s noses. She’s about to channel her inner detective, Ruby Redfort, to crack the case wide open. But that’s only the beginning.

Themes

SchoolsContestsBooks and readingFamily Humor

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction follows Clarice Bean as she tackles a mystery at her school involving a stolen trophy. With humor and relatable family dynamics set in England, it encourages problem-solving and a love of reading. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story lightly explores themes of school life and friendship with gentle humor.

Why we rated Utterly me, Clarice Bean C (Gentle)

Utterly me, Clarice Bean is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 187 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Utterly me, Clarice Bean on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Utterly me, Clarice Bean as C (Gentle) 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, Utterly me, Clarice Bean explores schools, contests, books and reading, family, and humor — 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 schools, contests, books and reading.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?