Ted and Me
Dan Gutman
Ted and Me
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dan Gutman
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
Here's a secret: Joe "Stosh" Stoshack can jump through time using baseball cards. This time, his mission takes him back to 1941, right before the attack on Pearl Harbor — but that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Ted and Me is a middle-grade historical fiction novel blending baseball and time travel. The story follows Joe "Stosh" Stoshack as he travels back to 1941 to warn about the Pearl Harbor attack, exploring themes of history, sportsmanship, and difficult choices. Suitable for ages 9-12, it includes educational content with photos and facts, and handles wartime events thoughtfully without graphic violence.
Why we rated Ted and Me 11LT
Ted and Me is written at a Level 6 reading level across 208 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Ted and Me works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Ted and Me as 11LT ("Light — Thematic") 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, Ted and Me explores time travel, baseball, historical, adventure, and coming of age — 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, baseball, historical.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LT — Light — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780061234897
- Pages
- 208
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction