The Doomsday Virus (Pathway Books)
Steve Barlow
The Doomsday Virus (Pathway Books)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Steve Barlow
Illustrated by Harriet Buckley
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Tim Corder races through dark corridors, alarms blaring all around him. At just fourteen, he’s labeled the most dangerous criminal on Earth, but now a deadly virus threatens the entire World Wide Web. Can Tim stop the virus before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel follows fourteen-year-old Tim Corder, a skilled hacker deemed a dangerous criminal, who faces a global crisis when a virus threatens the World Wide Web. The story involves themes of technology, crime, and suspense suitable for teens. Parents should note that the book includes tension related to cyber threats but contains no explicit content.
Why we rated The Doomsday Virus (Pathway Books) 8MT
The Doomsday Virus (Pathway Books) is written at a Level 3 reading level across 72 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Doomsday Virus (Pathway Books) works for readers up to grade 5.0.
We rate The Doomsday Virus (Pathway Books) as 8MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. 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 moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The Doomsday Virus (Pathway Books) explores science & technology, law & crime, science fiction, 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about science & technology, law & crime, science fiction.
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
8MT — Moderate — ThematicReal 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781598898712
- Pages
- 72
- Publisher
- Capstone
- Published
- September 2007
- Type
- Fiction