What reading level is Pig City?

Pig City by Jonathan Mary-Todd is at a Level 4-5 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades Plus readers (Ages 11+).

What age is Pig City appropriate for?

Pig City is recommended for Ages 11+. HootRating: 9MP (Moderate — Physical). Content flags: Physical Danger, Survival, Mild Peril.

What genre is Pig City?

Pig City is fiction — Juvenile Fiction. Part of the After the Dust Settled series.

Does Pig City have any content warnings?

Pig City has a HootRating of 9MP (Moderate — Physical). Content flags include: Physical Danger, Survival, Mild Peril. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Pig City?

Pig City by Jonathan Mary-Todd is 112 pages (approximately 14,637 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Pig City

Jonathan Mary-Todd

Pig City

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Jonathan Mary-Todd

After the Dust Settled

Reading Level 4-5 9MP Ages 11+ Matched Page-Turner

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for older middle graders (ages 11+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

In a harsh new world, Malik, Beckley, Emma, and Wendell stay on the move to survive, but a fierce winter storm forces them to seek shelter in a welcoming community. As they settle in Des Moines, strange dangers lurk nearby, including a ruthless gang willing to do anything to feed their prized pigs. The group's survival depends on their courage and wits when human lives become the most valuable commodity in the city.

Themes

Survival Science & Nature FriendshipCommunityAdventure Social Justice

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include physical danger, survival, mild peril. Written for readers ages 11+.

Why we rated Pig City 9MP

Pig City is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 112 pages (approximately 14,637 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.2 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Pig City works for readers up to grade 6.2.

Read aloud, Pig City runs about 1.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Pig City as 9MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Physical Danger, Survival, Mild Peril.

Thematically, Pig City explores survival, science & nature, friendship, community, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 11+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about survival, science & nature, friendship.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 5 more books in the After the Dust Settled series.