Time Meddlers [Paperback]

Deborah Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2006

One of Canada's top scientists has found the secret to time travel. But something has gone horribly wrong.... On the first day of school, in a new city, Sarah Sachs experiences the shock of her life when she sees a car drive right through a strange boy. Did she really see it, or was it a figment of her imagination? She becomes swept up in Matt Barnes's life as she helps him search for his father, a famous scientist who's been missing since Matt's birth. Their quest will lead them to uncover a powerful new technology and expose the frightening secret behind Dr. Barnes's disappearance. It will throw them far from the modern city of Ottawa into the forest-matted land of the 1600's, and deposit them right in the middle of a war between the Iroquois and the Algonquin nations. In the midst of this strange New World, it will take all their courage just to survive. Will the answer they seek be found in time?

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Better stock up on batteries for your flashlights, kids. This book will keep you reading way past your bedtime. --J. FitzGerald McCurdy author of the bestselling Serpent's Egg Trilogy and The Mole Wars.

About the Author

Deborah Jackson lives in Ottawa, Ontario—the capital city of Canada. After obtaining a degree in science from the University of Ottawa in 1986, she worked for many years as a dialysis technician before she began writing full time. Fascinated by ancient mysteries and scientific phenomena, Deborah tends to weave these into her stories. Time Meddlers is the first in a series of time travel novels for children, age nine and upward, that explores history in an exciting, adventurous way. Deborah is also the author of the critically acclaimed novel, Ice Tomb, an adult mystery/thriller. She’s a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and SF Canada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: LBF Books (October 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977308286
• ISBN-13: 978-0977308286
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,373,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Muddying the stream of time, November 6, 2006

By 

Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Time Meddlers (Paperback)

It's a snowy day in Ottawa's eastern suburbs. Having once again clashed with her father over leaving Toronto for "the wilderness" of the national capital, Sarah Sachs is in no mood for snow. She's in no mood for foolish surprises, either. Swirling flakes fail to hide the shock of her life - an SUV passes through a boy walking across the street toward her. This bizarre incident is but the beginning of a sequence of unexpected events. The boy, who proves rude and distant, is Sarah's neighbour and classmate. As "loners", they almost inevitably form a loose alliance. That connection will lead to an amazing adventure.

Deborah Jackson's last book, "The Ice Tomb", combined history, science and some well-drawn characters in a captivating story. Those characters, however, were all adults. Here, she follows a similar strategy, but for a younger audience. Sarah and Matt Barnes might be your youngster's classmates. Jackson captures their feelings about school, parents and the world around them with skilled perception. Sarah's folks have divorced, jolting the twelve-year-old's comfortable life. Matt's lost both of his, his father in an inexplicable way. Nathan Barnes has disappeared in time.

In pursuit of his father, Matt must deal with his cousin Nadine, who's running the house, the experiment Dr Barnes designed, and Matt's life. Fiercely protective of Dr Barnes' work, she proves the obstacle Matt and Sarah must dodge in their quest. In their efforts, the two children override caution, with unpredictable results. An eminent physicist, Nathan Barnes had developed a machine to cross time and space. Jackson here adapts current thinking among physicists that there are multiple universes, possibly accessed by tapping into something called "quantum foam". Within this foam space and time are indeterminate. You can go anywhere or anywhen. Thrust into the foam, Matt and Sarah are transported elsewhen. As city children, they must learn to cope with an entirely novel environment - and its inhabitants. How they survive and what results from their transportation makes gripping reading. They must prove flexible and innovative. Matt's relation to his father is the pivot point for the story's development, which Jackson handles with consummate skill. Even so, the conclusion of this book leads one to cry out for a sequel.

Science fiction has long held a fascination for young, inquisitive minds. What are the alternative possibilities to everyday life? Is the course of history locked in some pattern or can individuals truly have an impact on how events transpire? Jackson poses these questions admirably, showing how the young can act on their own initiative and maintain a set of effective values. These two clash with adults, with each other and with their peers. But they also learn reconciliation and cooperation between themselves and a larger community. They understand how today's actions lead to tomorrow's results, and selfish behaviour can be carried only so far. This book is valuable for many reasons and an excellent "stocking stuffer" for any young person. Adults should find it of more than passing interest.

[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent., September 19, 2006

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Time Meddlers (Paperback)

Sarah Sachs is in the sixth grade. She and her dad moved from large Toronto to small Ottawa. As Sarah walks to her new school she is surprised to see a boy walk into the street without checking for oncoming vehicles. Her surprise turns into the first of many shocks when Sarah watches the skidding vehicle drive completely through the boy as if he was not there! This is how Sarah makes her first, though reluctant, friend Matt Barnes.

Professor Nathan Barnes is a famous scientist who has been missing since Matt's birth. Matt lives with his dad's assistant, Nadine, who is nice to him only when the public is looking. Matt wants nothing more than to know if his father is really alive somewhere or not. Sarah and Matt dive head-long into researching the answer.

The duo end up locating a machine that Dr. Barnes created for traveling into different eras. Before they know it, Sarah and Matt are dropped into the year 1615. Worse, they are in the middle of a war between the Algonquin and Iroquois notions. Knowing their own history, Matt wants to be a peace negotiator and halt the upcoming battles. This would save many lives. However, Sarah is not sure that Matt's idea is a good one since it could very well change history as they know it. If history changes, so will the future.

***** An extremely well done story that will have you rethinking your ideas on quantum theories. Though the tale involves multiple universes and the possibility of time travel, it is told in such a way that kids as young as the age of eight can easily understand everything. The book is recommended by the publisher for children between ages eight and twelve. However, I believe that young adults (teens) will highly enjoy the story as well.

The back of the book is filled with a short glossary, discussions for reading groups, and even some activities that could be done in the classroom. This novel is so exciting that kids will probably not even realize how much they are learning. Excellent! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes!, November 12, 2006

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Time Meddlers (Paperback)

Sara Sachs is switching schools in the middle of sixth grade and does not want to be in Ottawa. She wants to be with her mom not in what she calls the wilderness with her dad. She is shocked when on the way to school her first day she sees a car drive right through a kid. Sara is very interested in what this boy is like because of what she saw. She soon finds out that Matt is the son a very famous scientist. Sara wants to meet his dad but Matt has never even seen him. His father disappeared when Matt was born. Together Sara and Matt figure out that Matt's father knows the secret to time travel and figure that he is stuck in another time and they are determined to bring him back to the present. Will Sara and Matt be able to bring his dad back? Read the book and find out!

***** This is an excellent story. If you like adventure or time travel books, you will love this book. Once your start reading you will not be able to put it down! *****

Reviewed by Brandon Stabler. Age 14.