Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Wild Animals!
Laurent Richard
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
Tao steps into the role of teacher, helping his little brother handle bullies and training his cat in ninja moves. As a new student with a secret crush joins Master Snow's school, Tao's days become a whirlwind of fun, friendship, and unexpected challenges. Can he juggle all the excitement and still find time to relax?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 2-3 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include bullying. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Wild Animals! LE (Mild)
Wild Animals! is written at a Level 2-3 reading level across 64 pages (approximately 1,941 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage Wild Animals! on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
Read aloud, Wild Animals! takes about 13 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.
We rate Wild Animals! as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Bullying.
Thematically, Wild Animals! explores friendship, family, humor, martial arts, 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.
- ✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, family, humor.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 3 more books in the Tao, the Little Samurai series.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LE · Mild · EmotionalReading 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
Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
10/10High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Tao, the Little Samurai Series
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781467720984
- Pages
- 64
- Publisher
- Lerner Publishing Group
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 1,941
- Read-Aloud
- ~13 min
- Text Density
- Picture-Heavy