Out of time
Caroline B. Cooney
Out of time
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Caroline B. Cooney
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
Strat is convinced Annie Lockwood has traveled from the future to 1895, but his belief lands him in an asylum declared insane. As Annie faces heartbreaking choices between her crumbling family and saving Strat, she must decide if love can truly transcend time or if she’s doomed to be an outsider forever. A gripping tale of courage, sacrifice, and the power of time.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with intense content intensity. Content themes include domestic violence, burning alive, infidelity. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Out of time 10IP
Out of time is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 210 pages (approximately 48,222 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.2 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Out of time works for readers up to grade 7.2.
Read aloud, Out of time runs about 5.4 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Out of time as 10IP ("Intense — Physical") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Domestic Violence, Burning Alive, Infidelity, Jump Scares, Hospital Scene, Sexual Content, Terminal Illness.
Thematically, Out of time explores time travel, romance, family, mental health, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about time travel, romance, family.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 2 more books in the Time Travel Quartet series.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10IP — Intense — PhysicalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Time Travel Quartet Series
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0385322267
- Pages
- 210
- Publisher
- Delacorte Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 1996
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 48,222
- Read-Aloud
- ~5h 21m
- Text Density
- Standard