You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum!

Name: You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum!
Author: Andy Stanton
ISBN: 9780061152436

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Andy Stanton

Illustrated by Chad Dezern

NO OFFICIAL SERIES TITLE

Reading Level 5-6 LP · Mild · Physical Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

The text is written at a 5th 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, LP, means mild content, mostly physical.

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About This Book

Mr. Gum is the grumpiest man around, known for his perfect garden until a joyful giant dog named Jake tramples it. When Mr. Gum plots a sneaky revenge involving some dangerous meat, a brave girl named Polly steps in to stop him, protect Jake, and show everyone that kindness always wins. Packed with silly twists and funny moments, this tale will have young readers laughing out loud!

Themes

AnimalsHumor Friendship Adventure

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5-6 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include mild peril. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! LP (Mild)

You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 176 pages (approximately 11,345 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

Read aloud, You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! runs about 1.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! as LP (Mild, mostly physical) 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: Mild Peril.

Thematically, You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! explores animals, humor, friendship, 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 animals, humor, friendship.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 41 more books in the NO OFFICIAL SERIES TITLE series.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

LP · Mild · Physical

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Mild ←

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

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.