23 minutes

Name: 23 minutes
Author: Vivian Vande Velde
ISBN: 9781629794419

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Vivian Vande Velde

Reading Level 6-7 ME · Moderate · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

Zoe Mahar isn't your typical hero—she's got just 23 minutes and ten chances to stop a bank robbery from turning into a disaster. With her unique power to rewind time, every second counts, but each attempt brings new surprises and challenges. Can she change the past and become the hero she never thought she could be?

Themes

Time travelFamily Coming of Age AdventureJuvenile fiction

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade suspense thriller follows fifteen-year-old Zoe, who discovers she can rewind time in 23-minute increments to prevent a tragedy during a bank robbery. The story explores themes of family violence and self-discovery, with some tense moments appropriate for ages 9-12. Parents should note the depiction of a violent robbery and the emotional challenges Zoe faces.

Why we rated 23 minutes ME (Moderate)

23 minutes is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 176 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 8 and up can manage 23 minutes on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate 23 minutes 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: Family violence.

Thematically, 23 minutes explores time travel, family, coming of age, adventure, 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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about time travel, family, coming of age.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Moderate

Social

Mild

Thematic

Mild

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.