The man who wanted tomorrow
Brian Freemantle
The man who wanted tomorrow
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel
by Brian Freemantle
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What secrets could be hidden beneath a mysterious lake in Austria? Six brave commandos search for long-lost files that could change the course of history, but danger strikes when their mission goes wrong. Who will find the missing box, and will justice ever be served?
Quick Assessment
This mystery novel follows Israeli commandos on a dangerous mission to recover secret files about Nazi war criminals hidden underwater in Austria. The story includes themes of historical intrigue and suspense, with moderate violence and peril appropriate for mature middle-grade readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the depiction of conflict and loss during daring missions.
Why we rated The man who wanted tomorrow 11ME
The man who wanted tomorrow is written at a Level 6 reading level across 252 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The man who wanted tomorrow works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The man who wanted tomorrow as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Fantasy Violence.
Thematically, The man who wanted tomorrow explores mystery, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, adventure, historical.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 0812818709
- Pages
- 252
- Publisher
- Scarborough House
- Published
- 1976
- Type
- Fiction