Cover of The Bad Guys

The Bad Guys

by Aaron Blabey

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Bad Guys is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range
Grades 3–5
Age range
Ages 8–10
Pages
144
Reading time
about 2h 40m (est.)
First published
2016
Genre
Graphic Novel
ISBN-13
9781338275254

More formats & details

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About this book

Mr Wolf gets together a band of former bad guys to do good deeds. There's Mr Wolf, Mr Snake, Mr Shark and Mr Piranha. They start by rescuing a kitten stuck up a tree and then head for the bigger challenge of liberating an entire pound of dogs. Success is guaranteed as long as they don't squabble too much and they don't eat each other or scare the animals they are rescuing to death. Humorous and clever series.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Bad Guys→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Graphic Novel title, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on animals and heroes; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

animals · heroes · rescues · graphic novel

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Bad Guys?
The Bad Guys is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read The Bad Guys?
It takes about 2h 40m to read The Bad Guys (144 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 160 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Bad Guys?
The Bad Guys appears on reading lists for Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Bad Guys banned in schools?
The Bad Guys does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
What themes does The Bad Guys explore?
Central themes in The Bad Guys include animals, heroes, rescues, graphic novel. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 3–5 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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