Soup
Robert Newton Peck
Soup
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Robert Newton Peck
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
Soup isn’t just any troublemaker—he’s the wildest, funniest friend you could ever imagine in a quiet Vermont town. Together with Robert, their adventures burst with laughter, mischief, and unforgettable moments that show why friendship makes everything better.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in 1920s rural Vermont, this nostalgic middle-grade novel follows Robert Peck and his lively friend Soup through a series of humorous and heartwarming adventures. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of friendship and childhood antics without any content concerns, making it a delightful read for young readers.
Why we rated Soup 9C
Soup is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 112 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Soup works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Soup 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, Soup explores adventure, friendship, childhood, humor, and rural 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 adventure, friendship, childhood.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780679892618
- Pages
- 112
- Publisher
- Yearling
- Published
- November 17, 1998
- Type
- Fiction