This is the seventh book in the Horrible Harry series.
This book is a Guided Reading Level: L. It is a DRA equivalent 24.
I would consider this to be on-level for readers at the end of Grade 2.
There is some complicated vocabulary despite the reading level. Chrysalis, symmetrical and Bartholomew all are on the first page which could prove daunting to readers at this level. However it does become more manageable as it goes on. Buddies Harry and Doug
(your narrator) are in second grade, I believe.
A book the teacher is reading aloud has Harry and Doug intrigued by the idea of a dungeon. So when the principal announces a new suspension room, complete with a Viking-type teacher to monitor it, Harry knows what he must do. He goes beyond his normal level of mischief and takes the blame for a crime he didn’t commit. But once he does, he immediately starts to regret his decision! What was he thinking!
The book is narrated by Harry’s friend Doug, not by Harry himself, which I think is actually a good thing. You view his mischief from more of a distance and not being privy to his every thought, he comes across as more of a sympathetic, inadvertent pain than someone selfish or unlikeable. Having not read the full 30+ book series, I can’t say how Harry’s character seems throughout. The plot is simple and the ultimately making good decisions is rewarded, but without any heavy-handed lesson.
Verdict: I’m still okay recommending this to young readers who are advanced. I wasn’t thrilled that Song Lee, one of the only minority characters had a sentence where she didn’t speak proper English. Not all of her dialogue in this book was written this way, so I’m not sure how she is depicted in the rest of the series. The line in question was “I touch butterfly wing, not Harry. Harry take the blame for me.” Also on my mind, why does every book of this level seem to involve a child dancing about to indicate a need for the bathroom?
Sex, Nudity, Dating – None.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – In a story the teacher is reading to the class a man is about to get his head chopped off in the dungeon. The boys believe the new suspension room teacher has weapons in his bag, like whips, sledgehammer or a mace.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.
