What reading level is The day the babies crawled away?

The day the babies crawled away by Peggy Rathmann is at a Level 1-2 reading level. Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is The day the babies crawled away appropriate for?

The day the babies crawled away is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 6C (Clear).

What genre is The day the babies crawled away?

The day the babies crawled away is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The day the babies crawled away have any content warnings?

The day the babies crawled away has a HootRating of 6C (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 The day the babies crawled away?

The day the babies crawled away by Peggy Rathmann is 40 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated July 16, 2026

The day the babies crawled away

Peggy Rathmann

The day the babies crawled away

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Peggy Rathmann

Reading Level 1-2 6C Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 1st grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Babies can be sneaky adventurers, and today they’re crawling away from the fair! What happens when a small boy spots their secret chase after butterflies, frogs, and even bats in a cave? It’s a race against time to bring all the babies safely back home—and it’s more exciting than you’d ever expect!

Themes

Adventure Family FriendshipStories in Rhyme

Quick Assessment

This charming picture book tells the story of babies who wander off during a lively day at the fair, prompting a young boy to follow and ensure their safe return. Written in rhyme and featuring striking black silhouette illustrations against colorful backgrounds, it offers an engaging read for early readers aged 5-8. The story emphasizes themes of adventure and responsibility in a gentle, non-threatening way.

Why we rated The day the babies crawled away 6C

The day the babies crawled away is written at a Level 1-2 reading level across 40 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 2.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The day the babies crawled away works for readers up to grade 3.5.

We rate The day the babies crawled away as 6C ("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, The day the babies crawled away explores adventure, family, friendship, and stories in rhyme — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, family, friendship.