A big year for Lily
Mary Ann Kinsinger
A big year for Lily
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mary Ann Kinsinger
Illustrated by Foley, Timothy, illustrator
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The soft creak of wooden wheels on a dusty road fills the air as Lily steps into her new life in Pennsylvania. The smell of fresh baked bread and blooming wildflowers surrounds her, but not everything is as peaceful as it seems. With a tricky classmate and a teasing neighbor, Lily’s year is full of surprises that will tug at her heart.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in an Amish community, this middle-grade novel explores the life of Lily Lapp as she navigates family changes, friendships, and challenges at school. The story presents themes of community, growing up, and resilience in a culturally rich setting, suitable for children ages 9-12. Parents should note mild conflict involving teasing and social challenges, handled with sensitivity.
Why we rated A big year for Lily 11LE
A big year for Lily is written at a Level 6 reading level across 267 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A big year for Lily works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate A big year for Lily as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, A big year for Lily explores family, friendship, coming of age, multicultural, and schools — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, friendship, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780800721343
- Pages
- 267
- Publisher
- Revell
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction