What reading level is the Collins Big Cat series?

Collins Big Cat books are at a grades 3–5 reading level (average grade level 4.3), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 5–12. There are 4 books in the series.

What order should I read the Collins Big Cat books?

Series numbers aren't available for most Collins Big Cat books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: The Tinderbox (2007); Aladdin and the Genies: Band 14/Ruby (Collins Big Cat) (2016); The Railway Children (2016); The Stubborn Prince.

What age is the Collins Big Cat series appropriate for?

HootRated recommends Collins Big Cat for ages 5–12. Content is gentle to moderate (HootRated intensity 1–3 out of 5). Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.

Collins Big Cat Books in Order

Collins Big Cat is a 4-book series by Vivian French for ages 5–12, at a grades 3–5 reading level, with gentle to moderate content (HootRated intensity 1–3 out of 5).

Books: 4; By publication date
Reading level: Grades 3–5; Average grade level 4.3
Recommended ages: Ages 5–12; From HootRated age ratings
Content intensity: Gentle to moderate; HootRated 1–3 out of 5 · avg 2

Collins Big Cat Reading Order

Series numbers aren't available for most Collins Big Cat books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).

#	Title	Reading Level	Ages	Content
1	The Tinderbox 2007	Level 4-5	9-12	Mild
2	Aladdin and the Genies: Band 14/Ruby (Collins Big Cat) 2016	Level 3-4	5-8	Mild
3	The Railway Children 2016 · Edith Nesbit	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
4	The Stubborn Prince	Level 4-5	5-8	Gentle

Content Intensity Across the Series

Varies

Content intensity ranges from Gentle to Moderate across the series.

First book Latest book

Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Collins Big Cat (4 books by Vivian French) lands at a grades 3–5 reading level, with average content intensity 2/5. Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.

The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.

All Collins Big Cat Books

The Tinderbox

Hans Christian Andersen, Stephen Mitchell, Bagram Ibatoulline

The Tinderbox

Hans Christian Andersen, Stephen Mitchell, Bagram Ibatoulline

Level 4-5 Mild

Aladdin and the Genies: Band 14/Ruby (Collins Big Cat)

Vivian French

Aladdin and the Genies: Band 14/Ruby (Collins Big Cat)

Vivian French

Level 3-4

The Railway Children

Edith Nesbit

The Railway Children

Edith Nesbit

Level 4-5

The Stubborn Prince

Level 4-5

Series Like Collins Big Cat: What to Read Next

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Questions about the Collins Big Cat series

What reading level is the Collins Big Cat series?: Collins Big Cat books are at a grades 3–5 reading level (average grade level 4.3), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 5–12. There are 4 books in the series.
What order should I read the Collins Big Cat books?: Series numbers aren't available for most Collins Big Cat books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: The Tinderbox (2007); Aladdin and the Genies: Band 14/Ruby (Collins Big Cat) (2016); The Railway Children (2016); The Stubborn Prince.
What age is the Collins Big Cat series appropriate for?: HootRated recommends Collins Big Cat for ages 5–12. Content is gentle to moderate (HootRated intensity 1–3 out of 5). Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.