All that stands between an evil villain and world domination is a pair of twelve-year-olds who just learned they're time travelers. What could go wrong? Twins Pew and Basket Church dream of escaping the miserable misfortune of their isolated orphanage. Or, even better, the return of their unknown parents. But even in their wildest dreams, they never imagined the The twins can travel through time. Armed only with perplexing clues to their past and a time travel talisman that is key to their future, Pew and Basket embark on an epic quest. It takes them into George Washington’s war tent and on a hunt for the Liberty Bell, from the battlefields of the American Revolution to a pirate republic in the Caribbean and beyond, all in a race to uncover the secrets of their family—and outsmart time’s greatest villain. History, mystery, humor, and adventure collide in this delightfully clever romp that heralds the arrival of James Patterson’s newest blockbuster series.
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from a Goodreads' giveaway.
Pew and Basket Church are the only two orphan's living in a very square and vial orphanage. They escape only to find out the orphanage was designed to protect them from an evil time traveler. Their parent have left them a trail of clues leading to the family treasure. The trail leads them in the time of the American Revolution where they become vital to George Washington in his early battles.
The age recommendation for this book is 8-12 and it appropriately written for this age group. It contains pictures with factual information about historical events. Very nice touch. The book ends with a huge cliffhanger which will work to draw kids into the second book of the series. It is a good solid and clean book. However, the length of the book (417 pages) may make it unattractive to some kids. Wondering if it would make a good transition for kids who like the Magic Treehouse and I Survived series into more challenging material.
I will note my school librarian has banned me (somewhat jokingly and somewhat not) from bringing in any more Patterson books. I will add this to the collection though to see how it does. We have a very difficult time matching his books with kids in our school. His books take up 1 1/2-2 shelves and I think only one was checked out last year, and the kid did not pick up the second in the series. This summer, we moved all his books to better highlighted and also put it on some recommendation list to market them more. I know his books sell so I am not sure why they have not been appealing to our audience.
I received an advanced copy of The Time Travel Twins through a drawing and am delighted that I won. It is a cross between historical fiction and juvenile fantasy, with a healthy dose of humor throughout. The atypical "twins" travel through time to the Revolutionary War era as they search for clues about their parents and background. Having grown up in a harsh orphanage, they "escape" through an odd acquaintance and time travel to colonial America.
A pleasurable and enjoyable read, I definitely anticipate the second installment.