This is a Pink/1B book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme. It's a simple story of fiction, with a familiar setting for early readers. A story map on pages 14-15 helps children recap important events of the narrative and provides a wealth of speaking and listening opportunities. The focus phonemes in this story are s, a, t, i, p, n, m, c, g, k, ck, d, e, o, u. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Sam and the Nut is one of the top 10 books found to be 'easiest' to read - most accessible and appropriate for the reading level - in the 2019 What Kids are Reading report from Renaissance Learning. Other top 10 'easiest' books to read from the report include Bad Bat (9780007412891), No, Sid, No! (9780007421923), The Magic Egg (9780007329182), Best Bird (9780007412853), Cat and Dog in a Mess (9780007235827), Get Fit (9780007421961) and Got It! (9780007421930).