Ray and Me
Dan Gutman
Ray and Me
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dan Gutman
The text is written at a 4th 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
Saving a life might be the most important game Stosh ever plays. After getting a baseball to the head, he discovers a secret power to travel back in time—and a chance to save Ray Chapman, the only major league player who ever died from a pitch. But with legends like Babe Ruth and Houdini in the mix, can Stosh change history without getting stuck there?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel blends baseball history with time travel as a young boy named Stosh tries to prevent a tragic accident from 1920. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, it introduces historical figures while exploring themes of courage and responsibility. The story contains mild peril and fantasy elements but is appropriate for its target age group.
Why we rated Ray and Me 9LE
Ray and Me is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 192 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Ray and Me works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Ray and Me as 9LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Ray and Me explores baseball, time travel, friendship, adventure, and historical — 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 baseball, time travel, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight 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
- 9780061234835
- Pages
- 192
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction