What reading level is Skies like these?

Skies like these by Tess Hilmo is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 720L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Skies like these appropriate for?

Skies like these is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9C (Clear).

What genre is Skies like these?

Skies like these is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Skies like these have any content warnings?

Skies like these has a HootRating of 9C (Clear). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Skies like these?

Skies like these by Tess Hilmo is 231 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Skies like these

Tess Hilmo

Skies like these

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Tess Hilmo

Reading Level 4-5 9C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Have you ever met someone who believes they’re connected to a real-life outlaw? Jade visits her quirky aunt in wide-open Wyoming, where the sky stretches as far as the eye can see—and she meets a boy with a wild story about his family. What secrets could be hiding beneath those endless skies?

Themes

Friendship FamilyEccentrics and eccentricitiesJuvenile fiction

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows twelve-year-old Jade as she spends time with her eccentric aunt in Wyoming and forms a unique friendship with a boy who claims to be a descendant of Butch Cassidy. The story gently explores themes of friendship, identity, and family quirks suitable for readers ages 9 to 12. There is no intense content, making it an appropriate and engaging read for this age group.

Why we rated Skies like these 9C

Skies like these is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 720L across 231 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Skies like these works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Skies like these as 9C ("Clear") 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, Skies like these explores friendship, family, eccentrics and eccentricities, and juvenile fiction — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, family, eccentrics and eccentricities.

Maybe not for

! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.