“The Time Travelers,” by Linda Buckley-Archer

“The Time Travelers,” by Linda Buckley-Archer is the first book in a series of time traveling adventures. This book was formerly known as “Gideon the Cutpurse.”

When an antigravity experiment goes bad and Peter Schock and Kate Dyer are mysteriously thrown into eighteenth-century London, it is the start of an journey that will take the two young people into dangerous situations that their modern day lives have not prepared them for.....

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Review of "The Time Travelers," by Linda Buckley-Archer

“The Wanderer,” by Sharon Creech

“The Wanderer,” by Sharon Creech is a Newberry Honor Medal winning novel about a sailboating journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sophie is a thirteen-year-old girl, who loves the sea and begged her way onto “The Wanderer,” her uncle's 45 foot long sailboat. With her cousins Cody and Brian and three uncles, Sophie will be able to experience the ocean first hand on a cross Atlantic trip to visit her grandfather.

The story is told through the travel logs of Sophie and her cousin Cody. Little do they know but both of them will be changed forever by this trip. Cody is a fun loving boy who loves to goof off, but he wants to prove himself to his demanding father. Sophie loves the sea, but she fears it as well, and facing the sea personally will help her to uncover a piece of her forgotten past.

The first time that I read “The Wanderer,” I was highly impressed by Sharon Creech's voice and character development. The plot is very rich and the interrelationships between the six characters who must live in close quarters on the small sailboat make the story interesting. “The Wanderer” is about an epic journey, but the most sublime and important things, I think, happen on the small scale, in the Wanderer's confines.

Sharon Creech's “The Wanderer” is an admirable Newberry Honor book that I would definitely recommend to you.

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“Wayside School is Falling Down,” by Louis Sachar

“Wayside School is Falling Down,” by Louis Sachar is a nearly classic children's book about a very strange school.

Those who have read the first book in the Wayside School series will remember that Wayside School is highly unusual institution. To begin with, the building has thirty stories, one for each class. And although there are thirty stories, there is no nineteen story, as Louis Sachar consistently reminds his readers.

The Wayside School series focuses on the experience of the children in Mrs. Jewls class, the class at the very top of Wayside School, on the thirtieth story. The book is chock full of humor that is obvious satire. For example, when Mrs. Jewls' class receives a brand new computer with “a full-color monitor and two disk drives” Mrs Jewls uses it to teach the class about gravity – by dropping the computer out of the window. “Thank you...” says Mrs. Jewels, “I've been trying to teach them about gravity all morning. We had been using pencils and pieces of paper, but the computer was a lot quicker.”

Throughout “Wayside School is Falling Down” the students will experience strange adventures and even stranger characters. Back in elementary school I enjoyed reading “Wayside School is Falling Down” because it humorous, but now, reading it again from a point of view over a decade later, I see more meaning in Louis Sachar's writing. Beneath the seemingly shallow storyline is a much deeper philosophical message about the the institutions and traditions that we tend to take for granted.

I would definitely recommend “Wayside School is Falling Down” to any young reader.

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Book Review Carnival #3

Inkweaver Review is proud to be a supporter of the third Book Review Blog Carnival.

This time the carnival is being hosted by Books, Books, and more Books!. Visit the carnival today for links to an impressive collection of book reviews of all genres and for all ages.

“Letters from a Slave Boy – The Story of Joseph Jacobs,” by Mary E. Lyons

“Letters from a Slave Boy – The Story of Joseph Jacobs,” by Mary E. Lyons is a historical fiction novel about a young slave boy and his experiences growing up.

In 1830 Joseph Jacobs would have been considered lucky for a slave. Not only is he living with his free grandmother, but the man who owns him is actually his father and he doesn't make Joseph work. Joseph is even learning to write from a white boy who is his friend. There is only one problem, Joseph's mother is still owned by a cruel master who she has run away from. Joseph hasn't seen her in over seven years, and little does he know, but his mother has been hiding in a attic room right above his head.

But when Joseph finally gets to see his mother again it is on the night that she must flee North to escape slave hunters who have been told where she is hiding. For Joseph this is the start of a journey that will take him thousands of miles on a search for a place where both he and his mother can enjoy true freedom.

“Letters from a Slave Boy – The Story of Joseph Jacobs” is very well written and has several features that I appreciated. The story is based on the real life experiences of Harriet and Joseph Jacobs. Sometimes its difficult in historical novels such as this one to determine which characters are real and which ones are invented. Author Mary E. Lyons list the characters right up front in two categories: “Real,” “Fictional.” The real characters are well designed, sticking to the story, but including enough extra details to add depth and feeling to the plot.

I definitely enjoyed reading “Letters from a Slave Boy – The Story of Joseph Jacobs.” All considered, the book is a good quality piece of historical fiction that teaches lessons about the nineteenth century experience of a young slave boy.

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“The Great Interactive Dream Machine,” by Richard Peck

“The Great Interactive Dream Machine,” by Richard Peck is a science fiction novel about a machine that fulfills dreams, and a sequel to “Lost in Cyberspace.”

When Josh Lewis finds out that his best friend Aaron is working on another high-tech computer experiment he doesn't realize just how strange this project really is. Aaron is working on a machine that will grant wishes. But the problems begin when Josh introduces a bug in Aaron's code. Suddenly the machine is responding to everyone's wants and needs, from the family dog, to the cranky old lady downstairs. In between trying to repair the damage that the device is doing, will Josh and Aaron ever be able to get it working correctly?

I enjoyed reading “The Great Interactive Dream Machine.” Richard Peck's novel is humorous, but not ridiculous. The characters are interesting and the technological aspect is dealt with in a very balanced manner. I would recommend “The Great Interactive Dream Machine” for its interesting combination of science and humor.

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“Tin Angel,” written by Shannon Cowan

“Tin Angel,” written by Shannon Cowan is the story of a young girl accused of committing murder.

Everything in Ronnie Page's life changes when her father dies in a car accident. Without her father's help the family's mountain lodge starts to fall into disrepair. Ronnie's mother starts drinking and it appears as if the family may be homeless soon.

Then Louis Moss comes onto the scene. By buying the lodge he gives the family a second chance, but it means that they must move to town, away from the wilderness that Ronnie loves. Ronnie dislikes Louis for what she sees as his involvement in ruining their former life. At the same time she must cope with the peer pressure of other kids at the town school.

When Ronnie goes back to visit her former home and has a chance meeting with Louis, disaster strikes and she is accused of murdering Louis. Ronnie knows that she is innocent, but she can't reveal everything she knows because she has secrets of her own.

“Tin Angel” is an interesting tale, and its sudden turns and hidden secrets give the book a touch of mystery. Shannon Cowan has created realistic characters for “Tin Angel” and the plot is fairly beleivable. The only thing that slightly disappointed me was that the final court scene where Ronnie will receive her judgement of either guilty or innocent seemed a little rushed. Parts of it were merely paraphrased and condensed. I like the details of court scenes, with the witnesses statements, all of the defense's arguments, etc. Unlike the complicated court proceedings in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the court scenes in Shannon Cowan's “Tin Angel” are elaborate in some areas and condensed in others. All in all, though, “Tin Angel” is a great book by a great author.

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“Year of No Rain,” by Alice Mead

“Year of No Rain,” by Alice Mead is the story of a group of young Sudanese boys driven from the village by warfare and drought.

In Sudan the children must grow up quickly because life is short. Eleven-year-old Stephen is a cattle herder in his small village. He wants to become a teacher when he grows up, but education is virtually nonexistent, and his family can't even grow enough food to eat. Fourteen-year-old Wol is engaged to Stephen's older sister. He wants to marry because he plans to join the guerrilla fighters and wants to leave behind a family to remember him.

But life for both boys changes completely when they hear bombs in the village's vicinity. The soldiers are coming again to raid the village and steal the supplies that Red Cross just dropped off for the poor villagers. Stephen and Wol escape into the desert lands of Southern Sudan, separated from the rest of their family.

“Year of No Rain” is about the conditions during the late 1990's in Sudan. It uses the characters Stephen and Wol to depict the struggle for survival that thousands of Sudanese experienced daily. I found Alice Mead's story to be touching, and her characters were lifelike and believable. I would recommend “Year of No Rain” as a moving historical fiction story.

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“A Wind in the Door” by Madeline L’Engle

“A Wind in the Door” by Madeline L’Engle is one of my all time favorite books. It is the sequel to Madeline L'Engle's earlier Newberry Award winning “A Wrinkle in Time.”

The fight between good and evil, first introduced in “A Wrinkle in Time” continues in “A Wind in the Door.” Mysterious signs of unrest are evident. Large swatches of the nighttime sky are being blotted out and the universe seems to be on the verge of tearing apart. At the same time, Charles Murray is dying from a mysterious ailment. His older sister, the main character, Meg must find a way to not only cure him but restore order to the universe.

From the farthest reaches of space to the infinitesimally small world of a mitochondria a battle is being fought, and as usual, even the smallest details are important. The weapons of this war are love and hate, existence and emptiness. Once again supernatural creatures on the side of good take Charles' sister Meg on a grand journey through space and time to fight against evil and save the universe.

“A Wind in the Door” teaches that size doesn’t matter. Each star, child, and sub cell particle is part of the endless struggle between good and evil, such that the balance of the universe can be altered by the death of even a single cell. The book uses beautiful word imagery and poetry, and descriptive vistas of imagination to share its author's unique ideas with us. I would suggest it as a remarkable read, and for L’Engle’s marvelous writing style.

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“The Wright 3,” by Blue Balliett

“The Wright 3,” by Blue Balliett is a fantasy mystery that will help you to see the world in a whole new way. It is a sequel to “Chasing Vermeer”

The plot revolves around the Robie house, a mysterious dwelling designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright. When the Robie house is scheduled to be dismantled Petra, Calder, and Tommy are drawn into another art based mystery. Not only do the children want to save this masterpiece of architecture, but they also want to investigate the strange happenings that are occurring in relation to the Robie house. Strange voices, moving shadows, and deadly accidents are being reported. In addition, it appears that someone is trying to leave the three sleuths clues using copies of the book “The Invisible Man,” by H.G. Wells. A hidden treasure, a coded message left behind by Wright: will the three young people ever uncover the truth about the Robie house?

What I like most about “The Wright 3,” by Blue Balliet is its complex world. In Balliet's world everything is connected: there is no such thing as a coincidence. “The Wright 3” and all of Blue Balliet's other art mysteries teach readers to look at the hidden patterns and subtle secrets all around us. Not only does “The Wright 3” contain coded messages, but there are hidden creatures in many of Brett Helquist's marvelous illustrations. “The Wright 3” is an exploration that is not only enjoyable but mind expanding.

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Book Review Carnival #2

The Book Review Blog Carnival is still in full swing. This time it is being hosted by Novel Bloggers.

Stop by today to find the very best book reviews on the blogosphere.

Book Review Carnival #2

“Weedflower,” by Cynthia Kadohata

“Weedflower,” is a touching historical novel from Newberry Award Winning novelist Cynthia Kadohata.

Sumiko is a twelve-year-old Japanese girl living in California. Her family runs a flower farm that produces high quality flowers for florists throughout the area. Although Sumiko sometimes has to deal with teasing and racism from her classmates, her life has been relatively peaceful.

Everything changes, though, when Pearl Harbor is bombed. Public opinion shifts against the Japanese Americans and many feel that every Japanese person is a spy. Sumiko and her family are sent to a detainment camp in the Arizona desert. The dry soil of Sumiko's new home is not well suited toward growing flowers, and it seems that all traces of her former happy life will soon disappear.

Eventually she meets Frank, a young Indian boy. She wants to make friends with him, but he is angry at the Japanese people, because they are now living on land that used to be part of his tribe's Indian reservation.

“Weedflower” is a wonderful historical novel. It portrays the feelings of Japanese American during World War II with accurate detail. It also shows the challenge but also success of friendship across racial divides. Once again Cynthia Kadohata has produced a wonderful book that I highly enjoyed. Although “Weedflower” was not as moving or emotional as her Newberry Award winning “Kira-Kira” I felt that it was a very admirable book.

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“11000 Years Lost,” by Peni R. Griffin

“11000 Years Lost,” by Peni R. Griffin is a time travel story that takes a young girl 11000 years into the past.

When Esther discovers an ancient spearhead it is the start of an archaeological dig near her school. Soon she is helping on of the archaeologists on her dig. But then something strange happens and Esther is taken 11000 years into the past, during the Ice Age.

Although she is adopted by a group of Stone Age people that doesn't mean that Esther is out of danger. Not only is the Ice Age world populated by dangerous animals: giant bears, saber tooth tigers, and woolly mammoths, but Esther's relationship with the Stone Age group is a slightly strained. Esther's new friends still aren't sure whether Esther will bring them good or bad luck, and some of them don't want to support a young girl who can't contribute to the group's survival. At the same time, Esther must try to find a way back to the present.

“11000 Years Lost” is very well imagined. The details in the story and the depictions of Ice Age life are very well researched. As a result the book has a convincing feel that I found very enjoyable. The unique time travel aspect also makes “11000 Years Lost” a special book. Fans of time travel books will find “11000 Years Lost” to be a rewarding read.

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“Nick of Time,” by Ted Bell

“Nick of Time,” by Ted Bell is an action packed time traveling adventure story for junior audiences.

The two main characters are Nick and Kate McIver. It is 1939, and World War II is on the verge of breaking out. Graybeard Island, the small island where Nick and Kate live, is a center of espionage on the German submarines that are threatening Channel boats. Nick and his father are engaged in the dangerous job of spying and reporting on German movements in the area. Unfortunately Nazis aren't the only threat to Nick and his family. Nick discovers a strange sea chest with his name on it. It contains a time traveling device and a plea for help that came from the past. At the same time two dangerous characters arrive from the past, determined to gain control of Nick's time machine.

Soon Nick and Kate are involved in two different but equally dangerous adventures. Nick travels backward in time to help one of his ancestors. The fate of the entire English fleet is at stake if Nick can't help Captain Nicholas navigate the reefs around Graybeard Island. Complicating matters, a mutinous captain and pirate named Billy Blood is determined to steal Nick's time machine and destroy the very ship that Nick is trying to save.

Meanwhile Kate joins the side of two scientific detectives that are fighting the Nazi's. They discover that the Germans have created a super powered submarine that will play a key role in their planned invasion. Unfortunately they are captured by the Nazi's. On board the top secret submarine they must do more than survive themselves: they have to ensure that others learn about Germany's secret weapon.

“Nick of Time” has plenty of action, with thrilling cliff hangers as author Ted Bell switches back and forth between the adventures of Nick and Kate. The strong point of “Nick of Time” is its plot. The storyline is very well designed, with enough details to keep it interesting for readers. Unfortunately, some of the characters come off rather cliché, the Nazis in particular. In addition, some of the character reactions in the book seem exaggerated to the point of being almost ridiculous. But all considered, “Nick of Time” should make a thrilling read for the junior audience that it was designed for.

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Novel of Life

Recently one of Inkweaver Review's visitors, Lethe, directed me to a very fascinating online novel being developed under the title "Lethe's Novel of Life."


Basically, "Lethe's Novel of Life" is a vast collection of interlinked fiction about the life of Lethe Bashar, a teenage literary hero and hoodlum. The "Novel of Life" aims to chronicle Lethe's experiences over more than 25 years of time.

Currently the collection spans three different blogs, with each blog focusing on a different time period in Lethe's life.

Family in Decline begins Lethe's tale with a history of his family background. From the blog:

“Family in Decline” traces the shaky beginnings of Lethe’s family unit as it highlights a self-absorbed artist-mother and a psuedo-spiritual father. The blog explores the stories behind each member of Lethe’s family, including his sister, and shows how Lethe evolved into an impulsive idealist and nascent drug addict.

Lethe in Madrid continues the experience, highlighting another time period in Lethe's life. From the blog:

"Lethe Bashar is on study abroad. He moves into an apartment with a sixty-five year old Senora. Within two weeks, he undergoes an extreme form of culture shock. He has difficulty attending classes at the International Institute, and his greatest fears revolve around his appearance in the mirror. The Senora, a maternal figure, suggests that Lethe withdraw from school and see a psychiatrist."

Lethe in Las Vegas is about Lethe's life with the "misfits and wanderlusts" of Las Vegas. From the blog:

"After getting kicked out of a halfway house in San Jose, California, Lethe takes a Greyhound bus to Vegas. He finds a youth hostel on the west side called The Backpacker’s Inn. This Hotel California is refuge to a host of misfits and wanderlusts."


Overall this rough and gritty novel has a very decent writing style. The first few lines of "Lethe in Las Vegas" intrigued me with their rough, but at the same time obviously well crafted sentences:

"Lethe Bashar had nowhere to go.

So he chose Las Vegas.

The driver was hauling a load of dead bodies in his antique coach. At least that’s what it smelled like. The bodies were slouched on top of each other like intimate cousins. They leaned into the windows, exuding the sour smells of familial sweat and unwashed clothing. The persistent hum of tires on the road became a dizzying rhapsody. Lethe’s notebook was perched on top of his lap. Every couple minutes the urge would overtake him and he’d scrawl something down."

"Lethe's Novel of Life" is a truely wonderful project that you must see to understand. Stop by any one of the blogs in the collection to begin, or read a further description of the project.

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“Getting Air,” by Dan Gutman

“Getting Air,” by Dan Gutman is one of the most ridiculous books that I have ever read.

Jimmy, David, and Henry are skateboarders on their way to California to compete in the X Games. But their plans are ruined when terrorists hijack their flight. The friends manage to defeat four grownup terrorists and then crash land the plane in Canada. The three survivors must find food, water, and shelter until rescuers come to their aid.

I was highly disappointed with “Getting Air.” The whole book felt like a cheap “Hatchet” knockoff, but the survival aspect was less realistic and the characters less profound. But that wasn’t the worst of it. I really had to laugh when the three boys used part of the plane wreck to set up a half pipe so that they could do skateboard tricks. “Getting Air” is definitely aimed at the youth audience, but even compared with other Junior Fiction books, it is lacking in plot and realism.

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“Genius Squad,” by Catherine Jinks

“Genius Squad,” by Catherine Jinks continues a thrilling story that began with “Evil Genius.”

Cadel has escaped the clutches of criminal mastermind Dr. Darkkon and Prosper English, another devious man who is believed to be Cadel's father. But that doesn't mean that Cadel's life is perfect. Just because he is cooperating with the police doesn't mean that Cadel has lost his previous reputation, and just because Cadel's former evil acquaintances are in jail doesn't mean that Cadel is safe.

Cadel is trying to reform his life and cooperate on the right side of the law, but for the time being he must live in an orphanage, with no computer, but plenty of obnoxious kids. At the same time Cadel knows that the round-the-clock surveillance that the police are using to protect him won't help if Prosper English manages to escape from jail.

That's when a secret group called the Genuis Squad approaches Cadel. They appear to be investigating one of Dr. Darkkon's companies with the intent of uncovering any illegal behavior that could be used to shut it down. This gives Cadel a chance to use his computer skills and interest in complex systems to do something beneficial. But at the same time he fears that the Genius Squad has a hidden secret, and he knows from experience that with people like Prosper English in the world, nothing is quite what it seems.

Catherine Jink's fantastic sequel takes Cadel to completely knew levels. Not only does she show the struggle that Cadel must face to make a new reputation as a law abiding person, but the storyline in “Genius Squad” is even more exciting and action packed than that in “Evil Genius.” I would definitely recommend “Genius Squad” if you are looking for a thrilling book to read.

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“Tunnel in the Sky,” by Robert A. Heinlein

“Tunnel in the Sky,” by Robert A. Heinlein is a science fiction novel that is partly a survival adventure and partly a study of government.

A small group of men and women are taking part in a ten-day survival course when something goes wrong and they are not recalled at the end of the test. Trapped on a planet with no way to contact Earth they must find a way to survive, not only for ten days, but perhaps for the rest of their lives.

At first the stranded people must face the dangers of animals and finding food, but soon they discover that there is a greater danger. There are no laws, and someone must take the lead to bring about order in the group. Heinlein summarizes the situation through the words of one character:

“Friends,” he said, “we are gathered here tonight to found a new nation.” He paused to let the idea sink in. “You know our situation. We fervently hope to be rescued. I will even go so far as to say that I think we will be rescued... eventually.” “It might be tomorrow... it might be our descendants a thousand years from now. But when the main body of our great race reestablishes contact with us, it is up to us whether they find a civilized society, or flea-bitten animals without language, without art—with the light of reason grown dim. Or no survivors at all, nothing but bones picked clean!”

“Tunnel in the Sky” is a great book. Heinlein's book is not only meaningful but also exciting, with plenty of action. This classic book will delight science fiction lovers.

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“Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac,” by Gabrielle Zevin

“Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac,” by Gabrielle Zevin is a wonderful novel about a girl's reaction to amnesia.

When Naomi wakes up in an ambulance on her way to the hospital she can't remember how she got there. But unfortunately that's not all that she has forgotten. Naomi can't remember her boyfriend, or why she fell in love with him in the first place. She can't remember her parent's divorce, nor the fact that her mom is now remarried and her father has a finance. Four whole years of Naomi's life are gone, and she is left frustrated, trying to live up to the expectations of other people that she now doesn't even know anymore.

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Review of "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac" by Gabrielle Zevin

“Hit the Road,” by Caroline B. Cooney

“Hit the Road,” by Caroline B. Cooney is a great novel about senior rights and the duty of younger people to the old.

When Brit’s parents drop her off at her grandparent’s house, they plan that Brit will merely be keeping watch on her elderly matriarch. But little do they know Nannie has a three-state road trip planned, with Brit as the driver. Brit has only had her driver’s license for eleven days, but its her job to pick up Nannie’s college roommates and take them to their sixty-fifth college reunion.

Dangerous interstates, and missed exits are nothing, though, compared with the real challenge that Brit must face. One of Nannie’s friends is confined to a nursing home, and they must “rescue” her. While chauffeuring these elderly women, and listening to their backseat reminiscing Brit learns to appreciate the elderly.

I enjoyed “Hit the Road.” Caroline B. Cooney is a great writer when it comes to depicting realistic people in situations that would otherwise be unrealistic. Along the way Cooney also manages to teach important lessons about how the elderly should be treated. I would recommend “Hit the Road,” for its great theme and memorable characters.

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