The Rune of Zachary Zimbalist

The Connedim #1

by Pamela Keyes, Aron Dittbrenner (Illustrations)

Twelve-year-old Zachary Zimbalist is misunderstood by his teachers and picked on by the other kids. His only friend is his cat. In an attempt to keep a school gang from beating him up, Zachary agrees to get a tattoo and unwittingly becomes marked with the Rune of the Scatterers; malicious souls who change history to create chaos. Their leader has decided that Zachary belongs to him, but in the nick of time Zachary is whisked off to the timeless land of the Connedim, the Connecting Dimension between past, present and future. Helped by Maria, his ghostly mentor, Zachary becomes an apprentice in the Interhistorical Alliance, along with other kids from different times in history. Between mastering his new powers and dodging evil, Zachary finally learns why he is marked with the Scatterers' Rune. Now he must face his fears and find the courage to undertake a difficult quest, thwarting the Scatterers' plans to change the very nature of history itself!

214 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

I spent most of my life trying to decide what to be when I grew up. I've always been an avid reader and traveler, and I actually wrote my first book when I was nine. My family and friends teased me through middle school and high school about the endless stories I wrote, but somehow it never occurred to me that writing could be a career.

So I studied science and English in high school, German and math and psychology in college, and I traveled whenever I could. I settled into architecture in graduate school, and eventually became a registered architect. I drew building plans for years, but finally found myself writing stories again in my spare time. And so, it came full-circle.

As a writer, I can be anything I want, anywhere in the universe I want to be. I've lived in the lush tropical islands of the Caribbean, the remote Texas-Mexican Border, the Bavarian Alps, and the thriving cities of Denver and Seattle. Through all my adventures, my heart has always belonged to the Arizona Sonoran desert. I now live in Tucson with my husband and two children.

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these books years ago in school and am sad more have not followed. The concept is great (Think Harry Potter but with time traveling telekinetic super kids instead of wizards and witches.) You really dig the main character, he tries hard and has a noble heart but has insecurities and fears everyone can relate to. The side characters are great, the talking shark toothed soccer balls rock and it seems like there is an inexhaustible amount of stories that could offshoot from this main concept because these kids are suppose to be saving history. They can go to (and learn about) new times and places in each new book. I really hope there is more to come.