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Time Sight
Castles, battles, the ancient Scottish Highlands, and a boy who is determined to bring everyone safely home combine in this absorbing middle grade time-travel adventure.
Will’s mother is in danger overseas, and his father must find her, so Will and his little brother are packed off to relatives in Scotland. Will feels useless. He can’t save his mother. He can’t help his father. And when he tries to amuse his brother on the plane ride, he can’t even locate the images in Jamie’s book—the hidden pictures that everyone else can see. Once at the family’s ancestral castle, though, Will tries again. And as he delicately adjusts his focus, suddenly his eyes tune in to a different visual frequency—the past.
Looking back five hundred years is interesting . . . at first. But when Jamie impulsively leaps through the opening in time, Will and his cousin Nan must follow, into a past so dangerous that Will isn’t sure how he will get everyone safely home.
A Christy Ottaviano Book
Will’s mother is in danger overseas, and his father must find her, so Will and his little brother are packed off to relatives in Scotland. Will feels useless. He can’t save his mother. He can’t help his father. And when he tries to amuse his brother on the plane ride, he can’t even locate the images in Jamie’s book—the hidden pictures that everyone else can see. Once at the family’s ancestral castle, though, Will tries again. And as he delicately adjusts his focus, suddenly his eyes tune in to a different visual frequency—the past.
Looking back five hundred years is interesting . . . at first. But when Jamie impulsively leaps through the opening in time, Will and his cousin Nan must follow, into a past so dangerous that Will isn’t sure how he will get everyone safely home.
A Christy Ottaviano Book
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2019
8 people are currently reading
1446 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Jonell
20 books90 followersLynne Jonell is an author (and occasional illustrator) of sixteen books for children, from picture books to novels for ages 8-12, all with an element of fantasy: magical hamsters, talking cats, tiny planes with a secret fuel, rodents with special powers, and more. Her novel Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat won the Minnesota Book Award; her latest book, The Sign of the Cat, is a swashbuckling sea adventure. Coming in 2018 is Far Sight, Deep Time, a time-travel novel set at her ancestral castle in Scotland.
Her books have received starred reviews in Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Sesame Street Parents, and have been published in nine languages. She teaches writing at the Loft Literary Center, is married and has two sons, and lives in Plymouth, Minnesota.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/lynnej...
Her books have received starred reviews in Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Sesame Street Parents, and have been published in nine languages. She teaches writing at the Loft Literary Center, is married and has two sons, and lives in Plymouth, Minnesota.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/lynnej...
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October 3, 2019An owlcrate read for my daughter (age 9). She usually tears through the Owlcrate reads but this one she hasn’t been able to finish. (She continues to rave about The Twelve) In her words, it’s boring. I’m just the messenger here. Each to their own.
May 14, 2019
Set in Scotland, this middle grade novel gets us twisted up in a bit of a time pretzel. Will tries to see the picture in his brother's Magic Eye book and finds himself opening a window to the past. As he practices this new skill of "time sight," he is dismayed to see his little brother Jamie run into the past and disappear. Will and cousin Nan hatch a plan to rescue him and it is the first of many forays into the past. Will is dismayed by the violence he witnesses in each visit, sometimes directed at himself. He agonizes over choices that have to be made in the moment and realizes how difficult it is to care for a child as he is determined to care for his younger brother. The boys are in Scotland waiting for their dad and mom to join them. I would have liked to know more about the mother's experiences as well. Included in an appendix is historic information on the time periods Will visits.
Thank you to MacMillan and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to MacMillan and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2020
read this aloud to my kids. the chapters were dragged out. Nan was especially annoying!
March 22, 2020
Ever wish Outlander was more kid-friendly? Time Sight is for you! Time travel to ancient Scotland with the Menzies children. There’s still plenty of men in kilts (though perhaps not the steamy attractive kind you’ll find in Outlander), Scottish history, castles, battles, and none of the R-rated content! I love how this book walked through much of Scottish history - literally, thanks to Will’s talent. It was a fun way to educate readers while taking them on a grand adventure. The writing style is simple and clean, which will make it very accessible for the middle grade audience for which it was intended.
I loved all the bits of Scottish culture in here, too. It was tucked into every fold of the story, and my heart about burst with pleasure at all the Scots dialogue - “Haud your whisht,” “clarty,” “scunner,” “bampot,” etc. etc. I felt like those two dudes from Chewin’ the Fat who always faint from happiness whenever they hear a good spot of the “Glasge banter.”
And can we just take this moment to appreciate Nan? She had so much spark and cleverness. She was definitely the bright spot of this book for me. I love a wee lass with a bit of fire inside her! Will needed her impulsiveness to propel him through the story. Would have been a dull experience without her.
I found the jumps between historical periods to be a little jarring at times. I felt like we wouldn’t get the whole story in one place before we jumped into another one, and they rarely seemed very connected other than the fact that they were taking place on the same land. I’m glad the main stories - the modern tale of the plight of Will and Jamie’s parents and the historical one of Sir Robert and Neil Gointe Stewart - reached satisfactory conclusions, but I found myself looking for the threads of those stories amidst the Romans vs. Picts storyline and Copper Age storyline. Those felt kind of thrown in there just for the sake of cobbling together bits of Scottish history and lore Lynne Jonell thought interesting but didn’t know how else to fit into the story. Maybe she didn’t know how else to make the book long enough. Either way, they didn’t feel entirely necessary, even though they still were fun in their own ways.
And now on a more sentimental note:
Reading the afterword and acknowledgments in this book made the author so relatable to me. She spoke of her grandfather showing her pictures of a castle and telling her some of their clan history, which made me think of a family gathering some years ago when my dad’s cousin mentioned a castle in Scotland that was the seat of the clan our family had come from. My uncle pulled out a book with some pictures and some history, and my interest in my Scottish heritage came into full bloom. Americans have a young history in this nation, but many of us are connected through blood, however diluted it may be, to a more ancient history somewhere else. I think that’s what makes us (Americans) so interested in where we come from. Unless we have a purely Native heritage, we all have roots in different parts of the world, and it is so fascinating to learn how we are connected to those far flung places, both in geography and time.
Anyway. This was a super enjoyable book and a nice fast read, especially if you have any interest in Scotland’s history and some of its lore. Hard to read this without wanting to board a plane and make a beeline for the Highlands!
I loved all the bits of Scottish culture in here, too. It was tucked into every fold of the story, and my heart about burst with pleasure at all the Scots dialogue - “Haud your whisht,” “clarty,” “scunner,” “bampot,” etc. etc. I felt like those two dudes from Chewin’ the Fat who always faint from happiness whenever they hear a good spot of the “Glasge banter.”
And can we just take this moment to appreciate Nan? She had so much spark and cleverness. She was definitely the bright spot of this book for me. I love a wee lass with a bit of fire inside her! Will needed her impulsiveness to propel him through the story. Would have been a dull experience without her.
I found the jumps between historical periods to be a little jarring at times. I felt like we wouldn’t get the whole story in one place before we jumped into another one, and they rarely seemed very connected other than the fact that they were taking place on the same land. I’m glad the main stories - the modern tale of the plight of Will and Jamie’s parents and the historical one of Sir Robert and Neil Gointe Stewart - reached satisfactory conclusions, but I found myself looking for the threads of those stories amidst the Romans vs. Picts storyline and Copper Age storyline. Those felt kind of thrown in there just for the sake of cobbling together bits of Scottish history and lore Lynne Jonell thought interesting but didn’t know how else to fit into the story. Maybe she didn’t know how else to make the book long enough. Either way, they didn’t feel entirely necessary, even though they still were fun in their own ways.
And now on a more sentimental note:
Reading the afterword and acknowledgments in this book made the author so relatable to me. She spoke of her grandfather showing her pictures of a castle and telling her some of their clan history, which made me think of a family gathering some years ago when my dad’s cousin mentioned a castle in Scotland that was the seat of the clan our family had come from. My uncle pulled out a book with some pictures and some history, and my interest in my Scottish heritage came into full bloom. Americans have a young history in this nation, but many of us are connected through blood, however diluted it may be, to a more ancient history somewhere else. I think that’s what makes us (Americans) so interested in where we come from. Unless we have a purely Native heritage, we all have roots in different parts of the world, and it is so fascinating to learn how we are connected to those far flung places, both in geography and time.
Anyway. This was a super enjoyable book and a nice fast read, especially if you have any interest in Scotland’s history and some of its lore. Hard to read this without wanting to board a plane and make a beeline for the Highlands!
October 2, 2019
This was SUCH a good read. Long enough to really give you a good taste of adventure and danger and the characters but it didn't outlast itself. Also, the ethical ruminations felt very true to life and so apropos at times that I felt like crying. Sometimes all you can do is just light a small candle.
August 11, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book so much! It gave me the best vibes.
January 29, 2023
Fun and sweet story! And I liked the Scottish setting history, and time travel too. I do enjoy books when the siblings are working together and close knit. Nothing too graphic or scary 👍🏼
March 1, 2020
Young cousins time-traveling around their ancestral Scottish castle? Yes, please and thank you.
April 8, 2020
First I saw the author's name on the spine. Then I read the blurb. Time travel in a Scottish castle? I was hooked. I didn't notice until I sat down to read it that the castle in question was Castle Menzies. That's my castle! I mean, I haven't been there yet, but my grandmother was a Menzies, so we claim a connection to it. Thank you, Ms. Jonell, for the tour and the history lesson, for a story both exciting and uplifting, and for not correcting the pronunciation until the afterword! We must be related . . .
January 30, 2020
Choice book 1 quarter 3
Time sight is written by Lynne Jonell and is a fantasy book.
Time sight takes place in an area surrounding Castle Menzies in Scotland, both in the present day and in the past.
The main character's are Nan, Jamie and Will.
Will is a 12/13 year old boy who's parents are across seas and he has to watch over his little brother Jamie. He has this magical powers, where he is able to see into the past with a book and without a book. He learns to use it, but not for a good purpose sometimes. His brother accidentally go's into the past and he needs to get him out. I think that Will is a dynamic character because he becomes braver and more powerful and optimistic through out the book.
Nan is 12/13 as well and is a girl. She lives in Castle Menzies with her crazy mom, who is sisters with Wills mom, so there cousins. She goes with Jamie and pulls Will with her to go get Jamie. Nan has a dog named Gormlaith. Nan likes to go outside and explore a lot and she is a very smart girl for her age. Nan is a dynamic character, because she believes in more and doesn't doubt herself at the end. She also becomes a better overall person.
Jamie is a 6/7 year old boy who is kinda dumb and doesn't follow directions very well. He likes to play around and not be controlled. He goes into the past multiple times and he gets wonky in the brain. Jamie is a static character, because he doesn't learn much and he stays mostly the same. His interest's are the same as the beginning, and he still doesn't know how to follow directions.
The main problem in the book is trying to get back into the present time. They all go into the past together one time. Then on occasion and on accident Will and Nan keep going back into time to "save" the past. They think there doing good, but they will then realize.... the conflict in the book is person vs. society, because they keep having to go back into time and fight soldiers, peasants and other armed guards for the castle in the past.
The author believes that you must have a good trust in someone.
1. Nan and Will trust each other enough to put wight and sacrifices on each other to save Gormlaith and Jamie.
2. " I trust you that you can do it, your not a chicken, if anything your braver than me"- Nan in the book showing that they trust each other.
3. Nan trusted Will to open up the time window to go into the past to save Jamie, Will trusted Nan to save Jamie.
In my opinion I enjoyed the book, because it really felt like you were one of the characters in the book along with them, trough the awesome detail. My favorite part was really the part where they have to recall everything Jamie's ever known. The book felt a little incomplete due to the ending, where it felt like the author left one or two things out. If I was the author I would have added more about the parents coming to get them and the talk they had at the end of the book. It isn't one of my favorite fantasy's, just because my other fantasy books I've read have been a little more thrilling to me personally.
Time sight is written by Lynne Jonell and is a fantasy book.
Time sight takes place in an area surrounding Castle Menzies in Scotland, both in the present day and in the past.
The main character's are Nan, Jamie and Will.
Will is a 12/13 year old boy who's parents are across seas and he has to watch over his little brother Jamie. He has this magical powers, where he is able to see into the past with a book and without a book. He learns to use it, but not for a good purpose sometimes. His brother accidentally go's into the past and he needs to get him out. I think that Will is a dynamic character because he becomes braver and more powerful and optimistic through out the book.
Nan is 12/13 as well and is a girl. She lives in Castle Menzies with her crazy mom, who is sisters with Wills mom, so there cousins. She goes with Jamie and pulls Will with her to go get Jamie. Nan has a dog named Gormlaith. Nan likes to go outside and explore a lot and she is a very smart girl for her age. Nan is a dynamic character, because she believes in more and doesn't doubt herself at the end. She also becomes a better overall person.
Jamie is a 6/7 year old boy who is kinda dumb and doesn't follow directions very well. He likes to play around and not be controlled. He goes into the past multiple times and he gets wonky in the brain. Jamie is a static character, because he doesn't learn much and he stays mostly the same. His interest's are the same as the beginning, and he still doesn't know how to follow directions.
The main problem in the book is trying to get back into the present time. They all go into the past together one time. Then on occasion and on accident Will and Nan keep going back into time to "save" the past. They think there doing good, but they will then realize.... the conflict in the book is person vs. society, because they keep having to go back into time and fight soldiers, peasants and other armed guards for the castle in the past.
The author believes that you must have a good trust in someone.
1. Nan and Will trust each other enough to put wight and sacrifices on each other to save Gormlaith and Jamie.
2. " I trust you that you can do it, your not a chicken, if anything your braver than me"- Nan in the book showing that they trust each other.
3. Nan trusted Will to open up the time window to go into the past to save Jamie, Will trusted Nan to save Jamie.
In my opinion I enjoyed the book, because it really felt like you were one of the characters in the book along with them, trough the awesome detail. My favorite part was really the part where they have to recall everything Jamie's ever known. The book felt a little incomplete due to the ending, where it felt like the author left one or two things out. If I was the author I would have added more about the parents coming to get them and the talk they had at the end of the book. It isn't one of my favorite fantasy's, just because my other fantasy books I've read have been a little more thrilling to me personally.
December 9, 2020
I was always a big fan of stories that took place in the Middle Ages. This one covered a great deal of Scottish history in a very enjoyable way with time travel tossed in. Can it get any better?
My only complaint was the rather drab artwork that accompanied that story. To be honest the artwork turned me off. The best illustration was the cover, although it took me a while to find out why the horses had spirals drawn on their tails. (You do find out if you pay attention.)
The set up is that Will's mother volunteered to travel to a foreign country to help with medical treatment there. But she was captured and now no one knows where she is, if they can safely retrieve her and how long that might take. The eldest Will at 11 in placed in charge of his five year old brother. He needs to get them both safely to Scotland where they are sent to stay with relatives. But life takes a series of turns and a Magic Eye book becomes a way to access a portal thru time that allows them a closer view of history than they could ever imagine. And a lesson in coping with "magic" portals that can prove both tricky and dangerous.
There is violence. This is the middle ages after all. There is also humor in the way they engage with each other and with the people they meet on their exploits. I would highly recommend finding other books on the Middle Ages with better drawings that would allow you to see better what the children are seeing. Since this castle is a REAL place open for tourist travel in Weems, Scotland, as described in the Afterword of the book, a visit to their website would greatly enhance the experience, after all the author mentions spending a whole month living in a castle as she wrote this story.
I highly recommend David Macaulay's book CASTLE which is chock full of drawings. Also, the Usborne book on the Middle Ages, also available at the library. I am surprised that there are no informational links provided. Also if you have never used a Magic Eye book borrow one from a friend or your local library and have fun "seeing" the hidden pictures.
I have gone ahead and ordered other books by Jonelle to enjoy.
My only complaint was the rather drab artwork that accompanied that story. To be honest the artwork turned me off. The best illustration was the cover, although it took me a while to find out why the horses had spirals drawn on their tails. (You do find out if you pay attention.)
The set up is that Will's mother volunteered to travel to a foreign country to help with medical treatment there. But she was captured and now no one knows where she is, if they can safely retrieve her and how long that might take. The eldest Will at 11 in placed in charge of his five year old brother. He needs to get them both safely to Scotland where they are sent to stay with relatives. But life takes a series of turns and a Magic Eye book becomes a way to access a portal thru time that allows them a closer view of history than they could ever imagine. And a lesson in coping with "magic" portals that can prove both tricky and dangerous.
There is violence. This is the middle ages after all. There is also humor in the way they engage with each other and with the people they meet on their exploits. I would highly recommend finding other books on the Middle Ages with better drawings that would allow you to see better what the children are seeing. Since this castle is a REAL place open for tourist travel in Weems, Scotland, as described in the Afterword of the book, a visit to their website would greatly enhance the experience, after all the author mentions spending a whole month living in a castle as she wrote this story.
I highly recommend David Macaulay's book CASTLE which is chock full of drawings. Also, the Usborne book on the Middle Ages, also available at the library. I am surprised that there are no informational links provided. Also if you have never used a Magic Eye book borrow one from a friend or your local library and have fun "seeing" the hidden pictures.
I have gone ahead and ordered other books by Jonelle to enjoy.
September 25, 2020
This was a 3.5, and I enjoyed the mix of time travel and a touch of Scottish history. Twelve-year-old Will and his precocious five-year-old brother Jamie are sent to stay with relatives in Scotland while his father is involved in bringing his mother home. Will is angry about her decision to offer her help to those in a country experiencing political turmoil and worried about her and whether she will be able to come home safely. His cousin, Nan, is friendly, welcoming, and up for any sort of adventures as is the family dog, Gormlaith. While wandering through the fields and nearby castle, Will realizes that he has Time Sight, which enables him to see scenes from the past and travel back in time to the Middle Ages. At first, Will isn't very skilled at doing so, and the youngsters treat it as a lark. But over time, he gets better at it, which is a good thing since lives are at risk, and Will, Jamie, and Nan certainly don't want to be stuck back in time. The characters are well developed, and the author makes it clear that time travel has its perils and takes its tolls on its travelers as well as those they encounter along the way. Many young readers have dreamed of traveling to the future or visiting the past, which makes this book ideal for those who have done so. Little touches such as how the children are teased for wearing their underwear in public when they go back in time and some of the superstitions or the strange creatures they encounter add richness to the plot. While it is clear that cruelty and evil abounded during those times just as is the case today, Will comes to realize that sometimes one person can make the right decisions and shine a light for others to follow. The ending and reunion with Will's mother were a bit rushed, but the rest of the book kept me engaged.
March 23, 2020
I think this might be one of the best middle grade novels I've read this year. Wow.
For someone who loves Outlander (both the book- and televisionseries) I was hoping to find something similar but for a younger age group. Well, that's exactely what this is. I'd say it is Outlander for middle grade children.
When Will and Jamie's mother is taken hostage, their father has to travel to go and get her. He puts the brothers on a plane to Scotland to go and live with cousin Elspeth, cousin Ewen and Nan. At the airport, Jamie gets a book that appears to function as a portal between worlds. The boys and their cousin Nan embark on a range of adventures, they visit the Menzies, come into contact with the Stewarts and the Romans and decide to rescue one of their ancestors.
This novel is filled with action and adventure, but includes history as well. For people familiar with Scottish (and Pictish) history, this is a delight. For those that aren't familiar, this novel can form a great introduction and start to further exploration of the topic. Jonell includes some information in the back of the novel on names and historical terms that are used in the novel. Additionally, she goes into the history of the castle where the story takes place.
Beautifully crafted, informative, and adventurous this novel can be just what you need on a day in quarantaine. If you're interested in the Scots, history, adventures, or just great new stories this will totally be your jam.
For someone who loves Outlander (both the book- and televisionseries) I was hoping to find something similar but for a younger age group. Well, that's exactely what this is. I'd say it is Outlander for middle grade children.
When Will and Jamie's mother is taken hostage, their father has to travel to go and get her. He puts the brothers on a plane to Scotland to go and live with cousin Elspeth, cousin Ewen and Nan. At the airport, Jamie gets a book that appears to function as a portal between worlds. The boys and their cousin Nan embark on a range of adventures, they visit the Menzies, come into contact with the Stewarts and the Romans and decide to rescue one of their ancestors.
This novel is filled with action and adventure, but includes history as well. For people familiar with Scottish (and Pictish) history, this is a delight. For those that aren't familiar, this novel can form a great introduction and start to further exploration of the topic. Jonell includes some information in the back of the novel on names and historical terms that are used in the novel. Additionally, she goes into the history of the castle where the story takes place.
Beautifully crafted, informative, and adventurous this novel can be just what you need on a day in quarantaine. If you're interested in the Scots, history, adventures, or just great new stories this will totally be your jam.
July 12, 2019
This was just ok for me. I could see it being more fun to a lower middle grade child, though, like I think I might read it aloud to my 6 year old later. I LOVE time travel, so when this was included as a club read for book battle and I saw the synopsis - Time travel, Scottish highlands, middle grade - I was very excited for it. As I read, it wasn’t what I expected and his time travel method was really neat. I think it gave a cute easy introduction to the few historical times they visited, that might interest a child reading it to learn more. The plot made sense, mostly, though they did kind of figure out the time travel pretty easily and the mechanics of how it worked, and didn’t get into as much trouble with it as one might expect from little kids in the past, especially the 5/6 year old (and the fact that the adults were sort of oblivious to a year of spontaneous growth was confusing 🤔 I can see a HUGE difference between my child at 5 and at 6)
Other than that, I’d recommend to fans of The Magic Treehouse looking for a slightly more difficult book, I think.
Other than that, I’d recommend to fans of The Magic Treehouse looking for a slightly more difficult book, I think.
August 4, 2019
I love historical fiction, so I was skeptical about mixing time traveling into the story. However, I really enjoyed this story. It was engaging and fun and though time travel was involved I was still able to become fully immersed in the historical worlds of Scotland. I actually liked that the time traveling allowed multiple time periods to be explored. All the worlds and time periods were masterfully tied together with an underlying topic: violence. Will Menzies is struggling with violence in our present world as his mother is being held in a foreign country (she is a doctor who went to help sick kids). Through each of his travels he notes the violence and ends up questioning why we haven't learned from history and why we continue to have violence today after seeing what it has done in the past. I think questioning violence and starting discussions on this topic is relevant and important for middle grade readers. The book also includes a map at the front, and I haven't found a book yet that starts with a map that I haven't enjoyed.
November 12, 2020
When Americans Will and Jamie have to go stay with their cousin in Scotland, all Will can think about is how angry he is at his mother for putting herself in harm's way. She is a doctor and now a hostage in a country where not everyone was grateful for her service. Meanwhile, Will meets his cousin Nan who is close to him in age. They discover they can travel through time (Will's gift) and understand the languages spoken (Nan's gift). Jamie, Will, and Nan all get themselves caught up in the historical times they travel to whether it's the Druids, the Picts, the Middle Ages, or the Stewarts, they are there in the midst of it all barely escaping with their lives! Will and Jamie's mother at last returns home safely and for now the only traveling the boys will be doing is taking a plane back to the USA. This is a fun romp through time and an educational experience at the same time. The author, herself one of the Menzies clan mentioned in the story, explains in after notes all about the real facts behind the historical fiction.
December 17, 2018
Time Sight is an absorbing and speedy middle grade reader but one that I fear might struggle to find its audience. The book struggles to strike the right tone, constantly flipping back and forth between a jolly adventure to deep dives into themes of the psychological impact of trauma, mankind’s tendency towards violence, and sudden intervals of intense religiosity. The right reader will no doubt find it a blast, but sensitive readers might feel overwhelmed while older and cannier readers will question why so much of the novel is dedicated to exploring the danger time travel can cause to timelines while resolving several high drama moments by explicitly changing said timeline. It appears to be relatively well researched regarding historical matters, in part because the author’s family history aligns with the subject matter, but young American readers might need more grounding to fully appreciate the various pasts Will, Jamie, and Nan visit.
ARC via NetGalley
ARC via NetGalley
August 1, 2019
A very fun book, this. Even though I have, by the logical extrapolation of my knowledge and intuition, decided that time travel to the past, is, as the Hungarians have it, lehetetlen, time travel remains to my most excellent and humble self an intriguing and noteworthy concept, one that intrigues and is worthy of note.
Accordingly,† as this book incorporates a very engaging expression of this ancient concept, I was very happy with it—quite pleased, I might say.
Furthermore,†† the writing was rather opposite to profoundly dull. The characters were quite nicely developed. And the setting was superb, when you think about.
In conclusion:†† What in the world is there to dislike about this book? (Answer: Not much.)
---
† Please note how the use of bold font grabbed your attention as nothing else could.
†† Wow, I got your attention again.
Accordingly,† as this book incorporates a very engaging expression of this ancient concept, I was very happy with it—quite pleased, I might say.
Furthermore,†† the writing was rather opposite to profoundly dull. The characters were quite nicely developed. And the setting was superb, when you think about.
In conclusion:†† What in the world is there to dislike about this book? (Answer: Not much.)
---
† Please note how the use of bold font grabbed your attention as nothing else could.
†† Wow, I got your attention again.
May 6, 2019
This adventurous story is about Will, who is packed off to Scotland with his younger brother, Jamie, so that his dad can go and rescue the mom, who is being held against her will in another country. The details on that part of the story are sort of sparse, because the big story is that Will and Jamie can time travel. When they arrive in Scotland, Jamie has been given a Magic Eye book and when Will looks at the pictures, a time portal opens up. At first, he has no idea how to control it but has to learn quickly, when Jamie ends up lost in medieval times. It's a fun adventure, but I'm not sure that my students would be super interested because of a lack of connection to Scottish history. It was a good story, but I don't think it would make my list for purchases.
July 4, 2019
This was an enjoyable, okay read for me. I just didn’t connect with it as much as I had hoped I would. I was very intrigued by the way time travel was used and explained throughout the book. I enjoyed seeing all the different time periods that were visited and all the different characters that we meet. But, the underlying commentary on mankind’s violent history and how we never learn and keep repeating ourselves got to be a bit too much for me at times. I understand what the author was trying to teach us and make us feel and I hope this connects with other readers more than it did for me. Hopefully it was just a case where I read this at the wrong time and will connect with it better with a reread in the future.
July 26, 2020
This wasn’t bad, but I would never recommend this. It’s about a boy named Will who goes to Scotland and finds out he can travel through time. I found a lot of the characters to be annoying and pushy, so that was a fail. There is a difference between complex characters and ill mannered ones. Nan was constantly trying to force Will to go back in time, Jamie was a brat, and I didn’t love the aunt. I understand the author did it on purpose for some of them, but it didn’t work out. Also, the plot dragged on and was long. It was tedious to read, even though it wasn’t too long (font size and pictures). I thought it was childish and is not a Middle Grade novel. I however would like to add that the history was quite interesting(what gave it the second star).
September 6, 2019
3.5 stars out of 4. Wow. What a ride. The concept of this book was great. It was definately well researched. If you like Scotland, history, and time travel- read this book. This may be unreasonable, because of the age of the characters, but Jamie and Nan really annoyed me. I had to keep reminding my self that the characters ranged from 6 to 11.
SPOILER: Jamie was stuck in time for an entire year. I thought they would have try to get him back to his original age. All the adults just thought he had a growth spurt. Bahaha. Crazy.
SPOILER: Jamie was stuck in time for an entire year. I thought they would have try to get him back to his original age. All the adults just thought he had a growth spurt. Bahaha. Crazy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2019
*I got this book for review for my honest thoughts*
I really did like this middle grade read. I really did love the dynamics between the siblings made the book such a fun read. I also loved how she crafted time travel overall. The plot was sometimes hard to follow and I sometimes was confused about what time period we were in but overall it was super fun adventure story that pulled a lot from real history that I really enjoyed. I found the book plot to be not as smooth as want and wanted it do more direct but I did grow to love the characters and I adored the settings in this read.
I really did like this middle grade read. I really did love the dynamics between the siblings made the book such a fun read. I also loved how she crafted time travel overall. The plot was sometimes hard to follow and I sometimes was confused about what time period we were in but overall it was super fun adventure story that pulled a lot from real history that I really enjoyed. I found the book plot to be not as smooth as want and wanted it do more direct but I did grow to love the characters and I adored the settings in this read.
September 17, 2019
This a story about Will and Jamie who have to stay with family in Scotland while their dad goes to find out what is going on with their mother. (A missionary) While at Castle Menzies, the family castle, Will finds out that he has a thing called Time Sight. At first him and cousin Nan was looking in the past for fun until Jamie goes back in time. Will and Nan have to figure out how to rescue Jamie as well as helping out their ancestors.
October 23, 2019
What a great story! And a great way to learn about history! I read this aloud to my 12 year old son. We just happen to be studying the Middle Ages, and this book covers that time period as well as others in Scottland, all from the real Menzies Castle. There is a wonderful Afterword that talks about all the historical aspects of the book.
As per son - 4.5 for the story, 5 stars for the afterword
As per son - 4.5 for the story, 5 stars for the afterword
January 10, 2020
Stuck living with family in Scotland while his father goes to help their mother overseas, Will quickly finds that he has the ability to open windows through time - but when his little brother hops through one, he and his cousin Nan are thrust into a terrifying adventure across Scottish history. Jonell will excite readers with a creative and heartfelt tale, though certainly one not for the faint of heart. Can Will and Nan save Jamie and figure out how to get home before their family notices?
January 19, 2020
Engaging, enchanting, absorbing, suspenseful, clever, thought provoking, a full cast of believable characters in settings readers will want to visit, this time-travel historical science fiction (or fantasy, depending on who you talk to) will grab kids, shake them up, and not let go until the very last page! I absolutely could not put this down. Highly entertaining and an excellent choice for book clubs and Battle of the Books!
March 24, 2019
This time travel story should leave kids with lots to think about. The characters jump to different times in their family history, and excellent end notes explain what really did happen and how it relates to the author. The protagonist's musings about responsibility, family, and violence are easily incorporated into this page-turner with plenty of action and danger.
April 14, 2019
Goodreads winner!
Story about two brothers who travel to Scotland to stay with an aunt while their parents are out of touch. When Will discovers that he can time travel using the book his brother bought, history comes alive for them and their cousin Nan. What they find is that traveling back through time and seeing some of the battles and hardships people faced is not so fun after all. What happens if they get stuck in that time?
Good book for those who love to read about history.
Story about two brothers who travel to Scotland to stay with an aunt while their parents are out of touch. When Will discovers that he can time travel using the book his brother bought, history comes alive for them and their cousin Nan. What they find is that traveling back through time and seeing some of the battles and hardships people faced is not so fun after all. What happens if they get stuck in that time?
Good book for those who love to read about history.
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