FICTION

The Wells Bequest: A Companion to The Grimm Legacy

by Polly SHULMAN
288p. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Bks. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25646-2. LC 2012036571.
COPY ISBN
Gr 6–9—A mysterious visit from himself on a tiny time machine with a beautiful girl prompts Leo to seek out H.G. Wells's The Time Machine. That and the need to study historical robots for his science-fair project lead him to discover the New York Circulating Material Repository. There he finds not only the mysterious girl, but also a wonderfully unique library that seems to have some magical properties. He becomes a page and gains access to The Wells Bequest, a special collection that houses many of the fantastical items from Wells's books, including the infamous time machine. When another page threatens to destroy all of New York City with Nikola Tesla's death ray, Leo and Jaya, the head page, go back in time to try to stop him. Shulman once again crafts a marvelously engaging story that will have fantasy and sci-fi readers hooked. Tidbits about H.G. Wells and other famous writers are sprinkled throughout and will have readers seeking out their novels. In fact, this is a great tale that explores many aspects of time travel and science fiction without overwhelming readers in meticulous explanation. The adventure, danger, and hints of romance will have readers swiftly turning pages, anxious to discover each new surprise. All libraries serving middle-school readers will want to order this one.—Jessica Miller, West Springfield Public Library, MA
At the start of the book, Leo is confronted by a six-inch-tall version of himself, accompanied by the most fascinating girl he's ever seen, riding a miniature time machine. His search for how he got to that point leads him to the New-York Circulating Material Repository (first seen in The Grimm Legacy, rev. 7/10), where he meets head page Jaya, the girl on the time machine. Leo's knack for fixing things, along with Jaya's recommendation, lands him a job as a page, with privileges that allow him access to the closely guarded Wells (as in H. G.) Bequest. His friendship with Jaya upsets a jealous fellow page, Simon, who demands use of the Wells Bequest's time-travel devices to go back and mend matters with Jaya -- or else he'll unleash Nikola Tesla's death ray. After that, the race is on for Leo and Jaya to turn back time to prevent Simon's great-great-grandfather from stealing Tesla's plans in the first place. The inside-out plot construction is ably handled, with plenty of book-geek discursions into library and cataloging culture, but the standout feature of this novel is the character of Leo, whose enquiring mind and technical know-how, and whose unique relationship with self-confident Jaya, will draw readers into the science-fiction-made-real landscape. anita l. burkam
Reviewed by Jessica Miller , Jul 01, 2013

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