What do you think?
Rate this book
Al Chaudhury #2
Time Travelling with a Tortoise
Exciting, funny, heartwarming, and mind-bendingly clever, Time Travelling with a Tortoise is the extraordinary, adventure-packed sequel to Ross Welford’s beloved, bestselling debut, Time Travelling with a Hamster.
Al Chaudhury travelled back in time to save his father’s life.
And it worked – Al’s dad is alive again and life is back to the way it should be. At least, that’s what Al thinks.
Because when an accident nearly kills Al’s beloved Grandpa Byron, and forces Al back in time again, this time he leaves someone behind, trapped in another dimension forever.
And now Al is forced to travel through time once more, not just to rescue his friend from the past, but also to save his Grandpa Byron’s life… and to make sure that there will be a future waiting for them all.
It turns out time travel isn’t as simple as Al thought.
Al Chaudhury travelled back in time to save his father’s life.
And it worked – Al’s dad is alive again and life is back to the way it should be. At least, that’s what Al thinks.
Because when an accident nearly kills Al’s beloved Grandpa Byron, and forces Al back in time again, this time he leaves someone behind, trapped in another dimension forever.
And now Al is forced to travel through time once more, not just to rescue his friend from the past, but also to save his Grandpa Byron’s life… and to make sure that there will be a future waiting for them all.
It turns out time travel isn’t as simple as Al thought.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2024
27 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Ross Welford
24 books314 followersRoss Welford is a British author of fantastic children's fiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 10, 2024
Time Travelling with a Tortoise is the second book in the Al Chaudhury series by British author, Ross Welford. It’s a few weeks after Al Chaudhury travelled back in time (well, to be precise, Relatively Shifted Between Spacetime Dimensions) to save his father’s life, and he’s living with his mum and dad in Chesterton Road: he should be happy, right?
Except things don’t feel quite right: the place smells wrong; Grandpa Byron is dressing differently, and has a tuk-tuk instead of a moped; and he doesn’t know anyone at school, although the school bully seems intent on being his friend. He feels like an imposter in his own life.
Then, while avoiding a cat, Al and Grandpa Byron have a nasty accident in the tuk-tuk, and Grandpa’s injuries adversely affect his incredible memory. Suddenly, the man who was so disapproving of Al’s venture into the past wants him to go back to prevent the accident.
Quite how he ends up in Grandpa’s tuk-tuk with “my hamster (Alan Shearer, remember him?), a small tortoise (Tortellini, don’t ask), my former stepsister Carly, and the soon-to-be-eaten Paulie MacFaddyen – the nephew of Macca, the meanest kid I ever met back in 1984” dodging hungry dinosaurs, apparently sixty-four million years back in time, involves a typically pushy Carly, broken computer code repaired by an AI program, and a hamster bite.
The rest of them manage to return, but it doesn’t end well for Paulie, and Al begins to wonder “Can I ever get back to the world I was born in? The world with my real mum and my real grandpa? A world where I haven’t caused someone to get eaten by a dinosaur?” Can he?
With the same quirky cast as Hamster, Welford gives the reader lots of action and plenty of humour, and even if the intended reader age is nine years and over, you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy this very entertaining sequel.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Childrens.
Except things don’t feel quite right: the place smells wrong; Grandpa Byron is dressing differently, and has a tuk-tuk instead of a moped; and he doesn’t know anyone at school, although the school bully seems intent on being his friend. He feels like an imposter in his own life.
Then, while avoiding a cat, Al and Grandpa Byron have a nasty accident in the tuk-tuk, and Grandpa’s injuries adversely affect his incredible memory. Suddenly, the man who was so disapproving of Al’s venture into the past wants him to go back to prevent the accident.
Quite how he ends up in Grandpa’s tuk-tuk with “my hamster (Alan Shearer, remember him?), a small tortoise (Tortellini, don’t ask), my former stepsister Carly, and the soon-to-be-eaten Paulie MacFaddyen – the nephew of Macca, the meanest kid I ever met back in 1984” dodging hungry dinosaurs, apparently sixty-four million years back in time, involves a typically pushy Carly, broken computer code repaired by an AI program, and a hamster bite.
The rest of them manage to return, but it doesn’t end well for Paulie, and Al begins to wonder “Can I ever get back to the world I was born in? The world with my real mum and my real grandpa? A world where I haven’t caused someone to get eaten by a dinosaur?” Can he?
With the same quirky cast as Hamster, Welford gives the reader lots of action and plenty of humour, and even if the intended reader age is nine years and over, you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy this very entertaining sequel.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Childrens.
January 16, 2024
Fulfilling sequel with heart (and science).
4.5 stars
It's been several years since I'd read TTWAH, the predecessor to this, and I was very glad of Welford's recap! I don't remember the ending and implications for the changes caused by time travel.
But this picks up where the last one left off (you might need to back up and read Hamster first) where Al (short for Albert), having saved his Dad's life by travelling back and meeting him as a boy, has now changed his present so much that his life doesn't feel like 'his' anymore. And now his beloved Grandpa Byron is caught up in an accident that might prove fatal - sending Al back to his father's homemade machine to see if he can put things right.
But will meddling with time again have implications?
With some familiar characters and some even more exciting time travel scenarios (think waaaaaaaaay further back than the 1980s) this brings readers the same science and philosophy conundrums as previously, with added Tortoise.
A fabulous continuation, with the downsides of time travel apparent to readers, and a collection of memorable friends, family and rodents making this a book children won't want to put down until they've found out how Al's story ends.
For ages 9-13.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
4.5 stars
It's been several years since I'd read TTWAH, the predecessor to this, and I was very glad of Welford's recap! I don't remember the ending and implications for the changes caused by time travel.
But this picks up where the last one left off (you might need to back up and read Hamster first) where Al (short for Albert), having saved his Dad's life by travelling back and meeting him as a boy, has now changed his present so much that his life doesn't feel like 'his' anymore. And now his beloved Grandpa Byron is caught up in an accident that might prove fatal - sending Al back to his father's homemade machine to see if he can put things right.
But will meddling with time again have implications?
With some familiar characters and some even more exciting time travel scenarios (think waaaaaaaaay further back than the 1980s) this brings readers the same science and philosophy conundrums as previously, with added Tortoise.
A fabulous continuation, with the downsides of time travel apparent to readers, and a collection of memorable friends, family and rodents making this a book children won't want to put down until they've found out how Al's story ends.
For ages 9-13.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
May 22, 2024
I loved reading this book, although it was a little slow to start but once it got going it was really good and I could hardly put it down. The story kind of had me captivated. The book has left thinking about it over and over again. In conclusion I would recommend this book if you want a light fluffy read that you can really use your imagination when reading.
May 6, 2024
3.5*
Now that I've finished this book, it feels like this is essential reading for anyone who read "Time Travelling With a Hamster." The stories are so linked that it feels almost like this could have been one longer story combining both.
I enjoyed having a mix of different characters in this story and hearing how Al was adjusting to his new life. I enjoyed the role Grandpa Byron played and I think he has become my favourite character in this series.
I thought the story was much more conclusive than the last one which I thought was a bit "and everything ended well for everyone" and it seemed well thought out through the actual practicalities of time travel.
I thought the story was a bit more straightforward than the first book and I don't think I enjoyed it as much, even though it did seem like a much better ending than the way book 1 finished.
Specifically to the audiobook, I disliked the change of narrator from the previous one. I thought they switched between whisper voice and shouting (especially when speaking as Paulie) too often and I was either turning up the volume or being deafened.
Listened at 1.5x speed on the Libby app through my local library.
Now that I've finished this book, it feels like this is essential reading for anyone who read "Time Travelling With a Hamster." The stories are so linked that it feels almost like this could have been one longer story combining both.
I enjoyed having a mix of different characters in this story and hearing how Al was adjusting to his new life. I enjoyed the role Grandpa Byron played and I think he has become my favourite character in this series.
I thought the story was much more conclusive than the last one which I thought was a bit "and everything ended well for everyone" and it seemed well thought out through the actual practicalities of time travel.
I thought the story was a bit more straightforward than the first book and I don't think I enjoyed it as much, even though it did seem like a much better ending than the way book 1 finished.
Specifically to the audiobook, I disliked the change of narrator from the previous one. I thought they switched between whisper voice and shouting (especially when speaking as Paulie) too often and I was either turning up the volume or being deafened.
Listened at 1.5x speed on the Libby app through my local library.
May 18, 2024
He also missed the last four years of his alternative life.
Everything is strange and now.
So when he tried to make friend again with the friends he had but now don’t know him. He run into trouble and needs to time travel again.
The interesting thing to think about. If given a chance to change the past, would one prefer the current life or an alternative life that is slight different? Would you miss the friends that no longer know you in this life time?
This is an okay story. Not as good as the first one.
3 stars read.
Everything is strange and now.
So when he tried to make friend again with the friends he had but now don’t know him. He run into trouble and needs to time travel again.
The interesting thing to think about. If given a chance to change the past, would one prefer the current life or an alternative life that is slight different? Would you miss the friends that no longer know you in this life time?
This is an okay story. Not as good as the first one.
3 stars read.
January 18, 2024
The follow up to Time travelling with my tortoise I loved this book and I'm sure both the younger generation it's intended for and adults alike will too.The characters Al and grandad Byron are just so likeable , great characters and a time travel theme which I love made for a great read .
January 22, 2024
The children got very excited about this book. We had recently reread the previous book, Time travelling with a hamster, and remembered why we loved it so much. Now Ross Welford has come up with this cracking follow up and we loved it !
July 7, 2024
Seven years or so on from the first book in the series (https://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/...), comes this sequel, which starts with the hero, his antagonist/love interest/step-sister-in-another-world, his current Biff Tannen and his hamster, all back with the time travel and by accident way, way back – with the pterosaurs and other dinosaurs. The first book had him go back to the past to save his dad's life and keep sure that his own could happen, but it's led to some kind of butterfly effect reaction in the multiverse – which is starting to flap back. When his grandfather gets injured, and starts to lose his precious and near-complete memory, it's time to get back to the time travel, and sort out the odds and ends the first adventure resulted in.
But this still didn't feel anything like an essential addition, however welcome Al was once more, as a half-Indian Geordie character fond of lists and recognisably awkward with the whole friendship thing. Talk of photoshopping and the use of domestic door-cams and AI make this very 2024, when the first book – I'm sure, if I were to read it again – would be 2016, and those eight years in between make more difference than is healthy for this.
There's also the issue of a character called Al being in a book with AI – boy, can it slip you up. But this seemed flawed – and I was reading the paperback, and not the early digital copy, for once. Details just seem to arrive from midair at the halfway point, and when they're as important as a gammy leg you ought to remember them. That aside, the book has a whole issue, with the time travel peril's being turned up to eleven (there are dinosaurs, if you've forgotten) and that just not combining nearly at all well with the family drama of the amnesiac grandfather and the prior book to rectify.
It all makes about as much point as putting a mahoosive plot point in the back cover blurb, such as this does – spoiling an event that is past the halfway mark by just blurting out about it for no reason. That and the novel itself then are very slapdash, taking us back to this world and proving far too inessential. I see many very positive reviews for this – but to my mind a lot of people have been short-changed here. I'd almost prefer to go back in time and unread it – two stars feel very generous.
But this still didn't feel anything like an essential addition, however welcome Al was once more, as a half-Indian Geordie character fond of lists and recognisably awkward with the whole friendship thing. Talk of photoshopping and the use of domestic door-cams and AI make this very 2024, when the first book – I'm sure, if I were to read it again – would be 2016, and those eight years in between make more difference than is healthy for this.
There's also the issue of a character called Al being in a book with AI – boy, can it slip you up. But this seemed flawed – and I was reading the paperback, and not the early digital copy, for once. Details just seem to arrive from midair at the halfway point, and when they're as important as a gammy leg you ought to remember them. That aside, the book has a whole issue, with the time travel peril's being turned up to eleven (there are dinosaurs, if you've forgotten) and that just not combining nearly at all well with the family drama of the amnesiac grandfather and the prior book to rectify.
It all makes about as much point as putting a mahoosive plot point in the back cover blurb, such as this does – spoiling an event that is past the halfway mark by just blurting out about it for no reason. That and the novel itself then are very slapdash, taking us back to this world and proving far too inessential. I see many very positive reviews for this – but to my mind a lot of people have been short-changed here. I'd almost prefer to go back in time and unread it – two stars feel very generous.
August 4, 2025
First sentence: You may remember that my dad died twice. As for me, I ended up having two twelfth birthdays, which sounds like a whole lot more fun. Trust me: it isn't.
Premise/plot: Al Chaudhury is back for another time travelling adventure. In the first book, he received a mysterious letter from his late father telling him of a time machine and giving him instructions of how to ultimately save his life. [The dad had had a head injury back in 1984.] His father's life was saved, though it took multiple attempts. Meanwhile, his old life--his original life--is GONE. His father is life, but, he's a stranger to his own life. His mother never remarried, and he doesn't have a stepsister. His dad is no longer *his* dad: gone is his love of computers, technology, science, physics, etc. His father is now obsessed with HAMSTERS. No one believes his time travel story, and, he has no memories of his 'new' life. Now in the second book, he has another choice to make: his grandfather recently had an accident one that has robbed him of his health and his memory. His grandfather now is asking him to rebuild his father's time machine and use it to prevent his accident. But life doesn't go as planned and soon Al and his friends find themselves running from DINOSAURS. Can he [and his friends] escape the dinosaurs and return to the present? And when they do, which present will it be? How many trips to the past will it take for things to get back to a 'normal' he can live with?
My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. In some ways it was even more compelling than the first one perhaps. Though that might just be that the end of this one provides resolution for both books. Both books are essentially one continuing story.
Definitely recommended to readers who love adventurous time travel stories.
Premise/plot: Al Chaudhury is back for another time travelling adventure. In the first book, he received a mysterious letter from his late father telling him of a time machine and giving him instructions of how to ultimately save his life. [The dad had had a head injury back in 1984.] His father's life was saved, though it took multiple attempts. Meanwhile, his old life--his original life--is GONE. His father is life, but, he's a stranger to his own life. His mother never remarried, and he doesn't have a stepsister. His dad is no longer *his* dad: gone is his love of computers, technology, science, physics, etc. His father is now obsessed with HAMSTERS. No one believes his time travel story, and, he has no memories of his 'new' life. Now in the second book, he has another choice to make: his grandfather recently had an accident one that has robbed him of his health and his memory. His grandfather now is asking him to rebuild his father's time machine and use it to prevent his accident. But life doesn't go as planned and soon Al and his friends find themselves running from DINOSAURS. Can he [and his friends] escape the dinosaurs and return to the present? And when they do, which present will it be? How many trips to the past will it take for things to get back to a 'normal' he can live with?
My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. In some ways it was even more compelling than the first one perhaps. Though that might just be that the end of this one provides resolution for both books. Both books are essentially one continuing story.
Definitely recommended to readers who love adventurous time travel stories.
January 3, 2024
When Al went Time Travelling with a Hamster to save his Dad’s life, he thought that all had ended nice and neatly.
Al’s dad is alive and well and living with them, no more stepfather or stepsister to worry about so life can continue as normal, can’t it? Or is normal one rip in the time/space continuum too far away for Al?
When his grandfather is involved in a terrible accident which Al blames himself for, he seeks help from his former stepsister, who fortunately has just enough scepticism of anything classed as ‘normal’ that she is open to believing his crazy tale of time travel and a parallel life where they were related. They need to go back in time to prevent Grandpa Byrom’s accident but this time there is no ready-made time machine waiting to take them.
When he finally embarks on his ‘quantum leap’ mission, he ends up leaving a friend scrambling for safety in a prehistoric landscape and must go back again on a rescue quest to save them from becoming T-Rex brunch. Al finds out very quickly that every time travelling action has a consequence and it isn’t possible to simply tear the fabric of time and walk away unscathed.
We loved Time Travelling with a Hamster and we love Time Travelling with a Tortoise just as much. It is mind-bogglingly clever and perfect for any fans of sci-fi fiction age 8+. At the heart of the story is Al’s love for his grandfather and the unlikely alliances and friendships he makes along the way… plus we think that Tortellini is one of the best names for a pet tortoise we have ever heard!
Al’s dad is alive and well and living with them, no more stepfather or stepsister to worry about so life can continue as normal, can’t it? Or is normal one rip in the time/space continuum too far away for Al?
When his grandfather is involved in a terrible accident which Al blames himself for, he seeks help from his former stepsister, who fortunately has just enough scepticism of anything classed as ‘normal’ that she is open to believing his crazy tale of time travel and a parallel life where they were related. They need to go back in time to prevent Grandpa Byrom’s accident but this time there is no ready-made time machine waiting to take them.
When he finally embarks on his ‘quantum leap’ mission, he ends up leaving a friend scrambling for safety in a prehistoric landscape and must go back again on a rescue quest to save them from becoming T-Rex brunch. Al finds out very quickly that every time travelling action has a consequence and it isn’t possible to simply tear the fabric of time and walk away unscathed.
We loved Time Travelling with a Hamster and we love Time Travelling with a Tortoise just as much. It is mind-bogglingly clever and perfect for any fans of sci-fi fiction age 8+. At the heart of the story is Al’s love for his grandfather and the unlikely alliances and friendships he makes along the way… plus we think that Tortellini is one of the best names for a pet tortoise we have ever heard!
March 17, 2024
Time travelling with a tortoise
By Ross Welford
Published by HarperCollins Publishers
Another exciting and funny time travelling story from Ross Welford, the bestselling debut author of Time Travelling with a Hamster.
Recap - Al Chaudhury travelled back in time to save his father’s life.
And it worked – Al’s dad is alive again and life is back to some sort of normal.
But then an accident takes away Al’s beloved Grandpa Byron world-beating memory, and Al is forced back in time again, this time leaving someone really important behind, trapped in a prehistoric dimension. Who would have thought?
Al now has a rescue mission on his hands to recover his friend from the past… and to ensure that the future will be waiting for them.
This time travelling is far more complicated than Al thought.
This honest, heartwarming, and clever story is what authors do best! Another extraordinary and adventure-packed story that any 8+ reader will devour.
Get it on the classroom and library shelves - you won’t see it for dust!
Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgalley
By Ross Welford
Published by HarperCollins Publishers
Another exciting and funny time travelling story from Ross Welford, the bestselling debut author of Time Travelling with a Hamster.
Recap - Al Chaudhury travelled back in time to save his father’s life.
And it worked – Al’s dad is alive again and life is back to some sort of normal.
But then an accident takes away Al’s beloved Grandpa Byron world-beating memory, and Al is forced back in time again, this time leaving someone really important behind, trapped in a prehistoric dimension. Who would have thought?
Al now has a rescue mission on his hands to recover his friend from the past… and to ensure that the future will be waiting for them.
This time travelling is far more complicated than Al thought.
This honest, heartwarming, and clever story is what authors do best! Another extraordinary and adventure-packed story that any 8+ reader will devour.
Get it on the classroom and library shelves - you won’t see it for dust!
Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgalley
May 28, 2024
This was a fantastic book, just like the first one in the series. It’s marketed as a children’s book but it is easily as good, and considerably better than many time travel related stories that I’ve read aimed at adults. The characters are really well rounded, observe well really well observed and just generally well written. The main character is somebody that anyone can relate to, as are many of the secondary characters. The author manages to cover some very deep and difficult subjects without tipping over into melancholy, and certain parts of the book are it’s laugh out loud funny. I think the reason it’s such a good story for adults as well as children is because although it’s written for a younger audience, it doesn’t talk down to young people, which means that the quality of writing is incredibly high. Children will not finish books that aren’t well written. I can’t recommend this author enough. Evocative, clever, witty and real. Easy five stars, even from a 43 year old!!!
May 21, 2024
I had read Time Travelling with a Hamster and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to this second instalment, and I wasn't disappointed. While it is easy to read, as befits its age rating, it is also a book of very deep thoughts and questions. While the time travel element is exciting, funny and expertly handled, it is also not the main point of the story, which addresses much bigger questions of life, death, love, and ethics. It is perfect for the 9+ age group, and also a good read for adults. I very much enjoyed it.
Thank you to the publishers for letting me have an advanced copy via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.
Thank you to the publishers for letting me have an advanced copy via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.
April 1, 2024
I read the first book about Al and his time travelling adventures a few years ago to my son, and I read this to him too. In this book Al makes his Grandpas Tuk Tuk go back in time to try to stop the accident that happened to him and Grandpa Byron. Of course, things don't go according to plan, and Al ends up travelling all over the place and messes with how things are meant to be. We both enjoyed this book. Some parts were funny, sometimes really sad and thought provoking. Lovely book.
October 31, 2024
I never thought I would enjoy a fiction book of children so much. It started off really intriguing, and it ended up intriguing as well. It was as if I was watching a movie the whole time. The expressions, the journey, and the touch of reality in every situation is very tapping to a reader. I love the simplicity of the language, and I love how, even without explaining much, the author can paint the real picture of what's going on. Light, fun read.
November 4, 2024
A sweet sweet book. Had me a bit confused with all the time traveling bit, but you know what? A kid will just go with the flow, so I let my frowny, critical adult self behind and joined the adventure.
A mighty good adventure it was, too. With the enduring message that everything in life will unfold the way it should.
A mighty good adventure it was, too. With the enduring message that everything in life will unfold the way it should.
April 7, 2024
Fun book for older children - lots of interesting theories about time travelling. I hadn't realised this was the second book in the series but it was easy enough to pick up and read. It kept me interested throughout and I liked the mixture of accents used.
February 9, 2024
A very good continuation/wrapping up of Time Travelling with a Hamster.
March 9, 2024
Amazing from chapter 1 to 38, absolutely wonderful. Spoiler: throwup
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2024
3.5 🌟
November 27, 2024
Nice sequel to the first one
June 14, 2025
I liked the idea of the booo but found all the events were a bit confusing although I enjoyed all the characters personality’s
July 16, 2025
Liked it.Good book
Read
August 11, 2025Wow! I mean, just WOW! This book is far better than the first one. However, the language and the describing could be improved.
August 28, 2025
Funny and interesting take on time travel… A light read when you are tired of reading intense stuff.
August 13, 2024
I love Time Travelling with a Hamster. I first read it in 2016, aged 15, and it instantly became my favourite book (a rank it has since kept). I cannot overstate how much I loved this book. Anyone who knew me back then will know that I never shut up about it. Heck, I even made my own version of ZZZZAP!!! in my IT class and tried to adapt part of the book into a script as an English project.
My original copy (I have since bought a spare) of Time Travelling with a Hamster is all but destroyed. It lies flat when you open it; the pages are dog-eared, creased and green (from my blue hair dye at the time); the protective plastic is peeling off... It's the only book I'm guaranteed to travel with, so I'm sure my copy has the record for "most international train journeys and flights". (When travelling, I also use it to store a few sheets of folded paper, in case I want to write letters when I'm on the go. I can confirm it works as a writing surface, too.)
The last major change to it happened last year, when I got it signed at a children's book festival. Welford called it "well-loved" when he saw the state of it. I was probably the person who travelled the farthest, and definitely the oldest reader in the queue.
Soon after that signing, Welford announced he was writing a sequel. At the time, I thought it was a joke. It took until the cover announcement for me to realise it was real.
I was incredibly hesitant. I loved the original ending. Making a sequel felt wrong.
But, as with all things in life, it's never that simple. Welford is a master of this phenomenon; characters' happily-ever-afters never come that easily, or at all. A bit of unease and bittersweetness (and police investigation) is inevitable. A sequel that addressed those aspects would be good, but... how could you write it? The blurb definitely didn't seem to address that aspect at all. I went into it with all of the expectations I had gotten after years of bad belated sequels: a throwaway story that revisits the MacGuffin just to please an audience.
I liked the prologue, but the first chapter wasn't very promising. Neither was the second. But the third? Oh, wow. Al was back, baby!
I didn't realise how much I had missed him until I was watching him make rash decisions and cracking awkward jokes. My goodness, he's a fun character to read about! Who else would plan to throw a cricket helmet through a window?!
The exploration of what happens after Hamster was incredibly satisfying. I love time travel stories, and, as always, Welford explores the practical side of everything, and then follows all of that fun up with an incredible emotional punch. I loved reading about the other versions of the characters I loved so much. Surprisingly, I liked Carly the most! (I know, I know, Grandpa Byron should be my favourite, but as someone who was that emo 14-year-old about a decade ago, I loved reading about her so, so much.)
While the first couple of chapters really challenged my suspension of disbelief (both because of the situation itself and because of the differences in the characters compared to the first book), the rest of the book did an amazing job justifying those changes. The emphasis was on the consequences of time travel, not on their prehistoric escapade, which really saved the book for me.
I still have mixed feelings about a number of things (I think it's because I'm used to there only being ONE massive implausibility) but I had a good time. I almost cried at various points. I'm glad to see Welford is finally able to explore parallel universes with Al, in the way he said he wanted to, all those years ago.
I hadn't re-read Hamster in a while, but the references to Tarun, Katie Pelling and Macca were great to see. I was also happy to see Al save another cat! Honestly, the only thing missing is a mention of Grandpa Byron's arm!
All in all, I had a good time with this book! It took me a while to get into, so I paused around page 30, but the next day I finished it in one sitting. (On a day when I took a flight, no less - with this book in my luggage!)
I was - and still am - hesitant about a sequel to Hamster, but I think anyone who has been thinking about Hamster for 7 years straight (like I have) could not have wished for a better one. I'm sure it's an even better duology when read in quick succession. Revisiting the characters and giving them this emotional finale was amazing, and for that reason I cannot give it any less than 5 stars.
My original copy (I have since bought a spare) of Time Travelling with a Hamster is all but destroyed. It lies flat when you open it; the pages are dog-eared, creased and green (from my blue hair dye at the time); the protective plastic is peeling off... It's the only book I'm guaranteed to travel with, so I'm sure my copy has the record for "most international train journeys and flights". (When travelling, I also use it to store a few sheets of folded paper, in case I want to write letters when I'm on the go. I can confirm it works as a writing surface, too.)
The last major change to it happened last year, when I got it signed at a children's book festival. Welford called it "well-loved" when he saw the state of it. I was probably the person who travelled the farthest, and definitely the oldest reader in the queue.
Soon after that signing, Welford announced he was writing a sequel. At the time, I thought it was a joke. It took until the cover announcement for me to realise it was real.
I was incredibly hesitant. I loved the original ending. Making a sequel felt wrong.
But, as with all things in life, it's never that simple. Welford is a master of this phenomenon; characters' happily-ever-afters never come that easily, or at all. A bit of unease and bittersweetness (and police investigation) is inevitable. A sequel that addressed those aspects would be good, but... how could you write it? The blurb definitely didn't seem to address that aspect at all. I went into it with all of the expectations I had gotten after years of bad belated sequels: a throwaway story that revisits the MacGuffin just to please an audience.
I liked the prologue, but the first chapter wasn't very promising. Neither was the second. But the third? Oh, wow. Al was back, baby!
I didn't realise how much I had missed him until I was watching him make rash decisions and cracking awkward jokes. My goodness, he's a fun character to read about! Who else would plan to throw a cricket helmet through a window?!
The exploration of what happens after Hamster was incredibly satisfying. I love time travel stories, and, as always, Welford explores the practical side of everything, and then follows all of that fun up with an incredible emotional punch. I loved reading about the other versions of the characters I loved so much. Surprisingly, I liked Carly the most! (I know, I know, Grandpa Byron should be my favourite, but as someone who was that emo 14-year-old about a decade ago, I loved reading about her so, so much.)
While the first couple of chapters really challenged my suspension of disbelief (both because of the situation itself and because of the differences in the characters compared to the first book), the rest of the book did an amazing job justifying those changes. The emphasis was on the consequences of time travel, not on their prehistoric escapade, which really saved the book for me.
I still have mixed feelings about a number of things (I think it's because I'm used to there only being ONE massive implausibility) but I had a good time. I almost cried at various points. I'm glad to see Welford is finally able to explore parallel universes with Al, in the way he said he wanted to, all those years ago.
I hadn't re-read Hamster in a while, but the references to Tarun, Katie Pelling and Macca were great to see. I was also happy to see Al save another cat! Honestly, the only thing missing is a mention of Grandpa Byron's arm!
All in all, I had a good time with this book! It took me a while to get into, so I paused around page 30, but the next day I finished it in one sitting. (On a day when I took a flight, no less - with this book in my luggage!)
I was - and still am - hesitant about a sequel to Hamster, but I think anyone who has been thinking about Hamster for 7 years straight (like I have) could not have wished for a better one. I'm sure it's an even better duology when read in quick succession. Revisiting the characters and giving them this emotional finale was amazing, and for that reason I cannot give it any less than 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2024
So I'm a big fan of Welford's books, so was really excited to read this sequel. And as a story it didn't disappoint. It was fun, daring and had me on the edge of my seat. Very exciting read over all!
But having read the first book there was a little bit of me thinking 'why bother writing a sequel? It was fine as it was'. Now this is not to say it's bad, it's not. It just felt like an odd choice for a sequel. But still a great book and I recommend reading but you have to read time travelling with a hamster first
But having read the first book there was a little bit of me thinking 'why bother writing a sequel? It was fine as it was'. Now this is not to say it's bad, it's not. It just felt like an odd choice for a sequel. But still a great book and I recommend reading but you have to read time travelling with a hamster first
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews