Timefire

by Nean McKenzie

Age range 8 to 13
In the scorching summer of 2033, Gilbert Black is accused of being a firebug, just like his mother was thirteen years previously. That night a fire starts on his family’s farm. A fire with a tunnel in the centre of it. And that’s when things start to get really weird.
Pulled repeatedly back and forth through time, Gil finds himself at all the big Australian bushfires from the last two centuries. He searches across the years, determined to unlock the secret to his family’s legacy.
Gil can’t change the past, but can he learn from it in time to return home and save his family from the biggest inferno ever known?
‘ Timefire is a thrilling page-turner full of intrigue and heart. A fantastic and absorbing Middle Grade novel.’ — Maggie Jankuloska, author of The Rat-Catcher’s Apprentice
‘Original, perilous, you can smell the smoke’ — Neridah McMullin
‘A gripping story of time, family — and fire’ — Pamela Rushby

Genres: Middle Grade

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2023

About the author

Nean McKenzie is a children's writer and optometrist who lives in western Melbourne. Originally from Bendigo, Nean lived in New Zealand, Europe and North East Africa before returning to Victoria.
Nean has a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing from RMIT. In 2016 she was awarded a Maurice Saxby Mentorship for Cryptosight, which is her first published novel. In 2023 she was awarded a fellowship at the KSP writers centre in Perth.

Reviews

[ammfoley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept but it felt like it didn't get edited... there were a lot of quotation marks out of place and missing commas in dialogue.

[readingwithmissbec · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this middle grade book,

A young boy, suck in a place where people are scared of “firebugs” people that start fires!

This story is about a young boy who travels through history learning about Australian bushfires.

I thought this was an insightful and intelligent book written for young kids to learn about significant parts of Australian history.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read for the 8-12 year old readers in your life, and for older readers who might enjoy time travelling to Australia’s famous bushfires. The story follows Gil stepping through fire to visit his ancestors in the near and distant past as he unravels the mystery of whether or not he comes from a family of pyromaniacs or firefighters or perhaps time travellers. Nothing is quite as it seems right up to the end. A great read!

[Louise D · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 11 year old son loved this book! He isn’t a big reader and read it as his school reader. He said it was very entertaining and he recommends it if you are interested in time travel.

[Jeremy Hallogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my Top 3 favourite books of all time! Encapsulated within the first three chapters, this book travelled me through time, and defined the rules of time travel as clear and definite as I’ve ever seen in a novel! Must read for younger and older readers, incorporating an important part of Australia’s burnt history!
Recommend to all!

[Kesta Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is Nean McKenzie’s best book yet. Hard to put down. (I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it last night!)

[Debra Clewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a time-travel novel with a difference. In the summer of 2033, young Gilbert black is accused of starting local bushfires. His mother, whom Gilbert doesn’t remember, was accused of the same crime thirteen years earlier. After completing an end of year school assignment on bushfires in Victoria’s history, Gilbert finds himself drawn back and forth through time, appearing in the midst of several catastrophic and historic bushfires.
There is secrecy surrounding his mother and his ancestors, and a fire-related legacy dating back generations. Gilbert is puzzled as to why he is appearing at the scenes of these blazes: a mysterious man named Vargo appears at each time span as well, and Gilbert struggles to find any correlation between himself and the stranger. But there are deeper family secrets to be unvieled. The past cannot be altered, but can he learn for the future and save his family?
The story is well researched as far as each fiery event is concerned. The story does get a little confusing at times, and it seems a little incongrous that his family name is Burns, considering the story is about bushfires. His mobile phone mostly has no signal: but at one point, he is able to play an episode of his favourite holovision video Detective Danger on a mobile app in the 1850s.
Nevertheless, it is an exciting middle-grade Australian tale. It will appeal to readers in the 8-12-year-age range.