CounterClockwise
Jason Cockcroft
CounterClockwise
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jason Cockcroft
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The bathroom wall suddenly ripples like water, and your dad vanishes right before your eyes. Time is twisting and turning in ways you never imagined, and every second counts to fix what’s broken. But can you change the past without breaking everything else?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores complex themes of time travel, family relationships, and personal loss through an inventive narrative structure. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers a thought-provoking adventure set in London that encourages readers to think about the consequences of altering history. The story contains mild emotional intensity related to family disruption but no graphic content.
Why we rated CounterClockwise 11MT
CounterClockwise is written at a Level 6 reading level across 217 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, CounterClockwise works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate CounterClockwise as 11MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, CounterClockwise explores adventure, family, time travel, science & nature, and london — 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 adventure, family, time travel.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MT — Moderate — ThematicLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780061255540
- Pages
- 217
- Publisher
- Harper Collins
- Published
- 2009
- Type
- Fiction