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The man who folded himself

David Gerrold

Cover of The man who folded himself

The man who folded himself

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by David Gerrold

Reading Level 4-5 9MT Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

What if you found a machine that could take you back in time to change anything you wanted? Imagine stopping bad things before they happen or winning every race you bet on! But what if every change you make has unexpected consequences that even you can't fix?

Themes

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade science fiction novel explores the adventures and challenges of time travel through the story of Daniel Eakins, who inherits a time machine. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, the book introduces complex ideas about cause and effect, responsibility, and consequences in an accessible way. Parents should note the story involves some suspense and the implications of altering history, but it remains appropriate for middle-grade readers.

Why we rated The man who folded himself 9MT

The man who folded himself is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 148 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The man who folded himself works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The man who folded himself as 9MT ("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, The man who folded himself explores time travel, adventure, and science & nature — 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, adventure, science & nature.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9MT — Moderate — Thematic
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Moderate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
3
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

148 pages
ISBN
0571104770
Pages
148
Publisher
Faber & Faber
Published
1973
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Time Travel