The pull of gravity

Name: The pull of gravity
Author: Gae Polisner
ISBN: 9780374371937

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Gae Polisner

Reading Level 6 ME · Moderate · Emotional Ages 9-12 Matched Rich Discussion

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Nick Gardner is facing the impossible: his best friend Scooter is dying, and Scooter’s last wish sends Nick and their quirky classmate Jaycee on a journey to find a dad who vanished years ago. Armed with a treasured book and Steinbeck's lessons, they dive into an adventure that will change everything. What will they discover about friendship, family, and themselves along the way?

Themes

GriefFamily Friendship Coming of AgeJuvenile FictionFathers and Sons

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel explores themes of grief, family struggles, and friendship through the eyes of Nick, whose best friend is terminally ill. As Nick and a classmate embark on a heartfelt quest to fulfill a dying wish, readers encounter poignant lessons about loss and resilience. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the story handles heavy topics with sensitivity and wit.

Why we rated The pull of gravity ME (Moderate)

The pull of gravity is written at a Level 6 reading level across 202 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage The pull of gravity on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The pull of gravity as ME (Moderate, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Loss & Grief, Family Change, Illness & Injury.

Thematically, The pull of gravity explores grief, family, friendship, coming of age, and juvenile fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about grief, family, friendship.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Moderate

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.