Enemy Pie

Name: Enemy Pie
Author: Derek Munson
ISBN: 9780811827782

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Derek Munson

Reading Level 3 C · Gentle Ages 5-8 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Smell the sweet, warm Enemy Pie baking in the oven, filling the air with a mix of mystery and promise. Just when you think summer is perfect, a new kid moves in, and suddenly, your best day turns upside down. But what if the secret to turning an enemy into a friend is hidden right in that delicious pie?

Themes

Friendship FamilySocial Themes

Quick Assessment

Enemy Pie is a charming and humorous story about a boy who learns how spending time with someone he initially dislikes can lead to friendship. Suitable for early readers aged 5-8, this book gently explores themes of kindness, respect, and social conflict resolution. With engaging illustrations and a relatable storyline, it's an excellent choice for family read-alouds and classrooms teaching social skills.

Why we rated Enemy Pie C (Gentle)

Enemy Pie is written at a Level 3 reading level across 44 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage Enemy Pie on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Enemy Pie as C (Gentle) because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, Enemy Pie explores friendship, family, and social themes — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, family, social themes.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Mild

Physical

Gentle

Social

Mild

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?