Have you ever read Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker?
I honestly don't know where to start. This is probably one of the best books I have ever read.
I got my copy from a thrift store. I got it because it was written by Dekker, not because I liked the story or even knew what it was about. From the stack of books from thrift stores that day, that one probably caught my eye last, yet when I was trying to decide what to start that evening, I read the blurb and opened it to the first page. The next forty-eight hours were spent sneaking away from what I probably should have been doing to read that book. Yes. I read that whole novel in a matter of days.
It was that good. I won't tell you why I love it so much; you'll have to find that out for yourself after purchasing a copy.
As far as age level for this book, I wouldn't just hand it to any kid. This is definitely an upper teen to adult story. I'm not saying this age because of inappropriate content, I'm saying that age because this is a tricky story, and any younger may not be able to appreciate it. There is violence, but there is no language.
The story is brilliant, the writing is well-done, and you get that perfect mixture of suspense, depth, and excitement to keep you up reading too late at night.
I hope that if you choose to read this book, you'll appreciate it as much as I did. This really is a cool story.