The Book that Proves Time Travel Happens

Gr 4–6—Struggling with the news that his father is a "trans-temporal"—a person who is "not comfortable wearing the clothing of the twenty-first century"—Ambrose Brody is whisked back in time with his best friend Tom Xiu and a new friend, Shofranka Camlo. Shofranka, or Frankie, and her family are keepers of the Shagbolt, a trombone that enables time travel when the correct notes are played. The three find themselves in their Ohio hometown in 1852, a time that is unsafe for nonwhites: Ambrose is biracial, Frankie is Romani, and Tom is Chinese American. Tom's overbearing mother and rigorous piano and school study are a little stereotypical, but these traits are tempered with a knowing comment from Frankie about the dangers of believing in "ethnic stereotypes." This is a fun, whimsical read, and most chapters end with a cliff-hanger. The action is relatively tame, though there are several mentions of violence toward slaves. Clark weaves a great deal of factual information into the narrative: within the first 50 pages, readers can learn how to use the I Ching and Morse Code. At times, this results in stilted, pedantic dialogue. However, the story's humor, originality, and message of tolerance even out its small flaws, and this would be a good next step for fans of Jon Scieszka's "Time Warp Trio" (Puffin). An accessible read with a diverse cast, this is recommended for general purchase.—Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library