What reading level is Utterly me, Clarice Bean?

Utterly me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child is at a Level 4-5 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Utterly me, Clarice Bean appropriate for?

Utterly me, Clarice Bean is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9C (Clear).

What genre is Utterly me, Clarice Bean?

Utterly me, Clarice Bean is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Utterly me, Clarice Bean have any content warnings?

Utterly me, Clarice Bean has a HootRating of 9C (Clear). 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 Utterly me, Clarice Bean?

Utterly me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child is 190 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Utterly me, Clarice Bean

Lauren Child

Utterly me, Clarice Bean

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Lauren Child

Reading Level 4-5 9C 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.

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About This Book

Here’s a secret: the school’s winner’s trophy has vanished! Clarice Bean decides to channel her inner detective, Ruby Redfort, to solve the mystery. But that’s only the beginning of an adventure full of surprises and laughs.

Themes

Humor Family Adventure FriendshipJuvenile Fiction

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction follows Clarice Bean as she takes on the challenge of solving a missing trophy mystery at her school by pretending to be a detective. Suitable for readers aged 9 to 12, the book blends humor with family life and encourages creative problem-solving. The story contains light themes of friendship and adventure without any intense content.

Why we rated Utterly me, Clarice Bean 9C

Utterly me, Clarice Bean is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 190 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Utterly me, Clarice Bean works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Utterly me, Clarice Bean as 9C ("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, Utterly me, Clarice Bean explores humor, family, adventure, 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about humor, family, adventure.

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.