Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books)
Pam Rosenberg
Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
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 gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.
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About This Book
Discover the wild and wacky world hiding right in your garden, filled with creepy, slimy, and downright gross creatures! This fun and fascinating guide uncovers nature’s yuckiest secrets that will both surprise and entertain curious young explorers. Get ready to learn about the sticky, slimy, and strange critters lurking just outside your door!
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) C (Gentle)
Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 24 pages (approximately 2,220 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
Read aloud, Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) takes about 15 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.
We rate Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) 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, Yuck! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff in Your Garden (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books) explores science & nature, 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.
- ✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about science & nature, humor, adventure.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 3 more books in the Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books series.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
C · GentleReading 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.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
9/10High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Yikes! Icky, Sticky, Gross Stuff Underwater (Icky, Sticky, Gross-Out Books)
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781592968961
- Pages
- 24
- Publisher
- Child's World
- Published
- August 2007
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 2,220
- Read-Aloud
- ~15 min
- Text Density
- Light Text