Pie in the Sky

Name: Pie in the Sky
Author: Jane Smiley
ISBN: 9780375869686

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Jane Smiley

Reading Level 6-7 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Abby Lovitt is the only one brave enough to train Pie in the Sky, the most stubborn horse on the ranch. As she wrestles with this wild spirit, she also faces the ups and downs of being a freshman in the 1970s. What happens when a girl and a horse both refuse to be tamed?

Themes

HorsesTrainingChristian lifeFriendshipFamily life

Quick Assessment

Set in 1970s Northern California, this middle-grade novel follows Abby Lovitt as she takes on the challenge of training a difficult horse named Pie in the Sky while navigating the complexities of freshman year. The story explores themes of friendship, family, and Christian values, offering a thoughtful look at personal growth and responsibility suitable for ages 9-12. There is no intense content, making it a positive, age-appropriate read for middle-grade readers.

Why we rated Pie in the Sky LE (Mild)

Pie in the Sky is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 274 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 8 and up can manage Pie in the Sky on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Pie in the Sky as LE (Mild, mostly 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, Pie in the Sky explores horses, training, christian life, friendship, and family life — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about horses, training, christian life.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Gentle

Social

Mild

Thematic

Mild

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

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

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