The pig at 37 Pinecrest Drive
Susan Fleming
The pig at 37 Pinecrest Drive
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Susan Fleming
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
Terry grips his bat tight, eyes locked on the pitcher, when suddenly a pig named Cadillac charges onto the field, snorting loudly. Chaos erupts as the game stops—will Terry ever get his chance to be captain? The crowd holds its breath, waiting for what happens next.
Quick Assessment
This humorous middle-grade novel follows Terry, a boy determined to become captain of his baseball team, whose plans are hilariously disrupted by an unexpected visitor: a pig named Cadillac. Suitable for ages 9 to 12, the story explores themes of family dynamics and perseverance with lighthearted fun. Parents should know it contains mild comedic chaos without any troubling content.
Why we rated The pig at 37 Pinecrest Drive 9C
The pig at 37 Pinecrest Drive is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 127 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The pig at 37 Pinecrest Drive works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The pig at 37 Pinecrest Drive 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, The pig at 37 Pinecrest Drive explores family, humor, and sports — 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 family, humor, sports.
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
- 0664326765
- Pages
- 127
- Publisher
- Westminster John Knox Press
- Published
- 1981
- Type
- Fiction