Black powder
Staton Rabin
Black powder
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Staton Rabin
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.
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About This Book
What if you could travel back in time to stop something terrible from happening? Fourteen-year-old Langston wishes he could undo his best friend's tragic death. But when a time machine appears, can he really change the course of history — or will messing with the past bring even bigger problems?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Black Powder is a middle-grade time-travel adventure that explores themes of loss, friendship, and the consequences of altering history. Set between modern-day Los Angeles and 13th-century England, the story follows Langston as he tries to stop the invention of gunpowder to prevent gun violence. Suitable for ages 9-12, this book includes elements of mild peril and historical references but handles complex ideas in an accessible way.
Why we rated Black powder 11ME
Black powder is written at a Level 6 reading level across 243 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Black powder works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Black powder as 11ME ("Moderate — 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Black powder explores time travel, friendship, loss & grief, historical, and adventure — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about time travel, friendship, loss & grief.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0689868766
- Pages
- 243
- Publisher
- Margaret K. McElderry Books
- Published
- 2005
- Type
- Fiction