Hush Little Baby
Caroline B. Cooney
Hush Little Baby
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Caroline B. Cooney
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Kit suddenly finds herself responsible for a baby she never expected to care for, thrust into a tense struggle to keep the child safe from those who will stop at nothing to claim it. As dangers close in, Kit must summon courage and quick thinking to protect the little one and navigate a world filled with threats.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include physical danger, fear & anxiety. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Hush Little Baby 10ME
Hush Little Baby is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 258 pages (approximately 50,275 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Hush Little Baby works for readers up to grade 7.3.
Read aloud, Hush Little Baby runs about 5.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Hush Little Baby as 10ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Physical Danger, Fear & Anxiety.
Thematically, Hush Little Baby explores family, survival, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ 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, survival, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 0590819747
- Pages
- 258
- Publisher
- Scholastic Paperbacks
- Published
- January 1, 1999
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 50,275
- Read-Aloud
- ~5h 35m
- Text Density
- Standard