Lost Time

by Tasha Mukanik

Jurassic World meets How to Train Your Dragon in this gorgeously drawn, adventure-packed middle grade graphic novel about a girl who gets trapped 65 million years in the past and must learn to survive with only her wits…and the pterosaur she befriends.

Twelve-year-old Evie didn’t mean to get lost—especially in the Cretaceous period! Now she’s alone, without her parents or anyone else to turn to for help. That is until she rescues a baby pterosaur and raises it on her own. As the baby grows into a giraffe-sized flying reptile, which Evie names Ada, the two manage to to find a way to survive in the prehistoric wilderness.

But Evie will have to risk everything when she makes a discovery that may just be her only chance of returning home. Putting Ada’s flying skills to the ultimate test, the duo must embark on a journey halfway across the world—battling all nature throws at them, from fearsome dinosaurs to raging storms. Will Evie manage to overcome all the odds and find a way back to her family... or is she truly lost in time?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Comics, Adventure, Dinosaurs, Time Travel, Science Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Tasha Mukanik (Windy Flamingo) lives in Alberta, Canada and is mostly known for her webcomic Sanity Circus.

Reviews

[Joy-Marie Karahkwiio 🍉 Canadian · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Train Your Dragons meets Jurassic Park -super cute! I didn’t even realize that I had met the author until they autographed my book. They even drew a brachiosaurus on the front page 🥹. Hoping that there’s more to this story or side stories to be released!

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd been looking forward to reading Lost Time for a while considering that it's a middle grade graphic novel that follows a main character that is transported back in time and is forced to interact with dinosaurs. Unfortunately, this was slightly disappointing. I anticipated a little more action, but the storyline was more so focused on the Evie finding her way back to her moms. While this definitely had a How to Train You Dragon vibe to it, I definitely felt like relating it back to Jurassic Park is a stretch. Some aspects of the plot weren't fulfilling either. I wanted to know more about the time travelers and researchers that came before Evie, but Mukanik left a good portion of that information out. The artwork, inking, and coloring were fantastic and really fit the vibe of the entire graphic novel, but it left much to be desired.

[Ada Barber Huff]

My 5 year old son picked it out and was really excited about it. I wasn't sure at first how to read a graphic novel out loud at first but it was actually great to look at the pictures and talk about what they meant and what we thought was happening. We both thought it was pretty funny that I share a name with the pterosaur!

[Alicia (AtlantiaReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little graphic novel. Queer Rep. Dinosaurs what more could I ask for?

[Jade qcbooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so wholesome, I need more 😭

I love dinosaurs so much

[Joshua Glasgow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another junior graphic novel that I read to my 4-year-old. I’m not really “counting” the books I read to him in my year-end numbers, though I know Goodreads will if I’m rating them. Mostly my point is that I don’t feel obligated to write a significant review for this book the way I would otherwise. I’m aiming to be (relatively) brief.

Here is the main thing I want to say about LOST TIME, which follows young teen protagonist Evie after a time machine encounter gone awry sends her back 65.7 million years into the past, to the Cretaceous period: the dinosaurs have feathers. The tyrannosaurus rex, the raptors – they have feathers! I know it’s in vogue to suppose that dinosaurs likely had feathers, but still I found this notable. I’ve not seen any other piece of pop culture seriously portray feathered dinosaurs.

Because the book is about a single human girl living amongst dinosaurs, you likely won’t be surprised to learn that the dialogue is sparse. Evie becomes the unlikely mother figure to a pterosaur which grows to enormous size, then later earns the trust of an injured tyrannosaur, and she certainly does speak to them throughout, but much of the book is presented in still images. Unfortunately, I frequently had difficulty following the action precisely. I had to read further down the page to piece together what I was supposed to be seeing because the images did not always clearly convey the story. That’s a problem. I was also disappointed by a trip Evie and her pterosaur make seemingly across half the planet which is dispensed with in just a few pages. They make the trip, pick up a piece of equipment that is in disrepair, and then are back home again in record time. I felt that the trip ought to have been more stressful and strenuous than it ended up being and, as a result, I felt it lacked the impact it should have.

My difficulty following the story at times aside, the art itself was fine. I don’t know that it did a lot to distinguish itself. There was a moment late in the book where Evie is thrown from the pterosaur’s back during a lightning storm and the scene is spliced with images of her original time machine accident, the first time what occurred is shown in detail. I suppose that’s kind of neat, and is likely one moment that will stick with me. But in fact what led her to enter the time machine at all is apparently a disagreement she had with her moms (Two moms! Woke!!!) which is poorly explained.

At the end of the book—spoiler—her moms do locate her and there is an emotional reunion scene where her parents’ eyes tear up, there’s a long shot of the three of them on opposite sides of a clearing, Evie apologizes for running away, and then the three of them hug tearfully while her parents tell her she has nothing to be sorry for. Except really it had all the indicators of an emotional moment without actually conveying those feelings successfully to the reader (or, well, this reader, at the very least). It’s impossible for me not to think of a very similar moment in Harmony Becker’s HIMAWARI HOUSE (minus the lost-in-the-Cretaceous-period aspect). Hyejung has been separated from her parents throughout the book and has been eaten up by her sadness and anger throughout the book. When they have their reunion toward the end of the book, it is, as I said in my review, “a devastatingly cathartic moment”. That’s how this moment SHOULD have felt, too, but it doesn’t even come close.

There are occasional entertaining moments, like that lightning storm I mentioned earlier or the moment of awe when Evie first bursts through the brush and sees the dinosaur valley she’s found herself in, but these brighter moments are few and the muddled action and limited emotional pull end up making a more lasting impression.

[Dale Rogerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novels are not my usual genre but I had to give this one a go as it was created by my nibling Winter's partner, Tasha, with Winter's beautiful inking. A lovely partnership on the page, to be sure. The blurb calls it a mixture of Jurassic Park and How to Train Your Dragon - both of which I adored so I was looking forward to reading this one.

Evie is lost. 65.5 million years ago lost. Suddenly she finds herself in a foreign place, surrounded by.. dinosaurs! What? She finds an abandoned egg and carries it with her until she finds what seems to be a sort of abandoned space station. The egg hatches and Evie calls her new pterosaur Ada.

There are various items she can use in this protected building and finds a device with recordings of the previous inhabitants. Ada grows fast and Evie is determined to find her mothers.

I shall leave you with that. I have no doubt that lovers of anything dinosaur and time travel will be entertained by this lovely story. There are a few plot holes but nothing to stop the enjoyment of this fun ride.

[Vanna Book-Mage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome illustrations.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super cute and a sweet story! If younger me had read graphic novels, I know I would've been obsessed with this

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a graphic novel that really transports you to another place, just like Evie is transported to 67.5 million years ago. You are dropped into the middle of the story. Evie is lost in time and space. She accidentally ended up in the Cretaceous period all by herself. She quickly has to escape large dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. She grabs an egg that hatches into a pterosaur she names Ada. Together, they work together for food and survival. Can they work together to figure out how to get Ada back to the present and to her moms? The odds are almost improbable, but it's a fun ride (literally). There are many pages with little to no text where the illustrations carry the story. For fans of dinosaurs, How to Train Your Dragon, Mighty Jack, and Hilo.

[Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute illustrations...anything with dinos is a win for me hehe

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
gorgeous, amazing artwork! Story was lacking, but a great book for a MG reader

[Jen Nishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 3.5 ⭐️. The art work was fantastic and the dinosaurs were very well done. The narrative was a little disappointing in that there wasn’t a lot of world building or character development. I felt like, plot-wise, the stakes didn’t seem that high for a survival-esque plot. I did appreciate that the MC had a short haircut like me, it’s not something you see often in MG lit. Don’t get me wrong it was still an enjoyable quick read and I know kids everywhere will enjoy it.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

In this graphic novel, Evie finds herself catapulted back 67.5 million years to the cretaceous period in North America after a fight with her mothers. Her mothers, who study ancient creatures, wanted her to travel back with them, but Evie was scared. Running away, she managed to accidentally get transported by herself. She does find an abandoned research center, and working taped logs of the scientists there. After picking up an egg and hatching a Quetzalcoatlus (whom she names Ada), Evie dedicates herself to listening to the tapes and caring for herself and her growing "pet". When she finds that the scientists had a temporal communicator, but that it is stored at a far flung location, she teaches Ada to let her ride on her back. This takes some time, and there are always other ancient creatures to deal with, but the two soon set out. They find another abandoned station, as well as the tempcom, but Ada manages to drop it in the sea. Heading home dejected and longing to speak to her mothers, Evie finds brief solace in caring for an injured T Rex, Prince, who comes to her rescue after fire devastates the research station. Will Evie ever be able to find her mothers and return to the present?

Readers who enjoy manga will like the vivid style of the pictures, and those who struggle with text will appreciate the many wordless panels, showcasing scenes of survival, daily life, or Evie's longing to be with her parents. The drawings of dinosaurs (and other ancient creatures), as well as the notes in the back on different species, will please the children who are obsessed with these animals and can identify all of the different ones by name.

This is an easy to follow story with not a lot of text, which is great for emergent readers but left me wanting to know a lot more about certain aspects of Evie's story. I also have my doubts about Evie's ability to tame a prehistoric Quetzalcoatlus and T Rex, but if she can travel 67.5 million years into the past, she should be allowed to do just about anything she wants.

There are not a lot of fictional books about dinosaurs, and Nat Geo Kids has two fantastic guides; How to Survive in the Age of Dinosaurs and The Dinosaur Atlas. There is another graphic novel, Plumeri's 2014 In the Beginning: Dinosaurs #1, and Martin's 2016 The Ark Plan series, but there could be a lot more books set during this time, like the old television show Land of the Lost, or set in the modern era with dinosaurs, like Jurassic Park. Since there aren't, definitely pick up Lost Time for a young dinosaur fan.

[whatbooknext · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evie just wanted some time on her own. Some time away from her mothers, while they were all out together. But in sneaking away and ignoring their instructions to
stay close, Evie ventured where she shouldn't - right inside a time machine.

Now 65 million years away from home and surrounded by dinosaurs, Evie has all the time in the world alone.

At first she is confused, scared and missing her parents terribly, but an egg she saved from a hungry dinosaur soon hatches. From inside comes a pterosaur who Evie names Ada. Both Evie and Ada take shelter within an abandoned building Evie has found. It defies logic to be in a land of dinosaurs but becomes Evie's source of survival skills through recorded diaries of previous time travellers.

She learns how to catch food, find water, and even train Ada. All of these survival techniques take up her time and energy, leaving hardly any left to miss home. Until one of the recordings mentions something that suddenly gives Evie hope. But it would mean a long journey, impossible on foot. Ada now towers above her and her wing span fills their shelter. Could Ada be the way to finally going home?




The action begins early in Lost Time as the reader sees Evie dropped into a land of dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Although she is scared and alone, the illustrations are often funny as she learns to survive her predicament. Character development is clear as Evie regrets some decisions before she fell through time, and now more than anything wants the chance to redeem herself.

Her knowledge and skillset develop with nothing but a voice recording from someone who'd been there before her, and her determination and patience with a young dinosaur. Their bond grows strong and is a heart warming thread to this graphic novel, and is even more so when that bond wavers after a mistake is made.

Although not heavy with text, the full colour panels are clear in moving this story forward, and Evie's expressions made me laugh often. Lost Time is a great read and will be perfect for readers aged 8+ trying out Graphic Novels.

[Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

Representation: Biracial (half Black and half Asian,) Black and Asian characters
Trigger warnings: Fire
Score: Five out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.

I didn't have much choice except to read Lost Time by Tas Mukanik. This novel was so obscure I didn't hear of it, but the fact it was an illustrated novel was all I knew about it. The ratings were low so I lowered my expectations, and even though it still looked promising, it was rife with issues when I closed the final page.

It starts with Evie (whose last name remains undisclosed) somehow arriving on a version of Earth set 65 million years ago. How does this happen, I have no idea. The world may seem all natural in the opening pages, with some dinosaurs interspersed here and there, except for a few human-made buildings scattered across the planet which didn't add to the immersion. The only enjoyable aspect is the art, which seems to have come from the author and illustrator herself.

There aren't many human characters as I only saw four, and the most frustrating aspect is the worldbuilding, as I got no answers. Zero. From what I've learned, Evie got into a time machine that sent her 65 million years into the past, but the time machine has so much potential Mukanik missed. What is its limits? If it can send someone 65 million years in the past, can they get sent to the formation of the Earth, or even the Big Bang? What about the future? If a meteor were to strike Earth, would it kill everything and everyone, including the human characters like Evie? What time did they come from? The early 2020s or sometime in the near or far future where time travelling is possible?

Those questions remain unanswered. The characters are likable but difficult to relate with, but expanding on them and the narrative itself would improve the reading experience. The only dynamic I got is with Evie and her parents and Evie and her companion, Ada (not a human, a pterosaur.) If Lost Time is a standalone, it would be disheartening to leave the storyline like this, but if this turns into a series, then I would raise my hopes. I hope the latter happens. At least the conclusion is heartwarming with Evie finding other humans, but I lost time reading Lost Time.

[Shazza Maddog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie finds herself in the past - like, way past, like with the dinosaurs past. It isn't explained how she got there (in the beginning) but she's calling for her mothers and they're not there with her. Evie dodges dinosaurs but spots a small raptor about to take an egg and instead takes the egg with her.

In doing so, Evie finds a 'home' - what looks a bit like an observation dome built in amongst the past. She hides in it with the egg which hatches into a Quetzalcoatlus Northropi - the largest pterosaur that lived. Naming her new friend Ada, Evie and Ada learn to survive together, catching fish and hunting edible fruits, and dodging the raptors who have a nesting ground at another obvious human outpost.

So where are the humans? Some of them died. It isn't explained what happened to the others but there are recordings which Evie and Ada listen to for entertainment and information both. And that's how Evie finds out there's another outpost across the ocean - and that outpost might have a communicator that can connect back to Evie's parents.

The pair build up strength and eventually take the trip across the ocean where they do find the communicator - but due to Ada's playfulness, they lose the battery. The trip back across is depressed and its only when Evie finds a hurt T-Rex dozing near the outpost that she starts feeling something other than sadness.

The recordings mention a generator in the outpost (that the raptors are guarding, natch). Will Evie and Ada figure a way to get to the generator? Will Evie finally be able to reach out to her parents?

This is just a sumptious graphic novel. I loved Evie and Ada and their relationship of partnership and friendship both. The dinosaurs are lovingly illustrated with some interesting additions (the T-Rexes have manes, for example). I would love to see more of Evie's adventures in this world with her dino friends.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute story and I love how the author portrays dinosaurs and the other creatures that lived in their time. And I like that when Evie first arrives in the past, she is menaced by a succession of various herbivores; there's a common trope of showing dangerous wildernesses full of terrifying ultra-predators that will mercilessly hunt people down, but the truth is that herbivores far outnumber carnivores, but can be even more dangerous and territorial.

A few things that I don't like: the beginning is unnecessarily mysterious; Evie seems surprised to be in the past, but it is later revealed in flashback that she was in the process of accompanying her moms on a journey to the past, and they are paleontologists interested in dinosaurs. The implication is that time travel is fairly normal in the setting, but the story casts it as a mystery how Evie could have gotten there. Also, I don't like some of the scenes of flying, especially the tendency to show Evie hauling on the reins in a visual riff reminiscent of a daring pilot; Ada knows how to fly, Evie doesn't and in a story that shows the importance of an animal as a companion, it is disappointing that she is often treated as an object. Also, not too happy with the Prince story line; like, if you just take it as a children's story, it is cute and nice. But really, feeding wild carnivores is never a good idea, as it just acclimates them to people and almost inevitably leads to danger in the future.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 for story, 4 for illustrations and coloring!

Picked this up because I was like...dinosaurs?? Beautifully colored illustrations?? Sure! A 12-year-old girl named Evie gets separated from her moms and ends up traveling back in time to the Cretaceous period! She survives among dinosaurs and prehistoric life, becoming best friends with a pterosaur she names Ada. Evie tries to use a communicator to contact her parents for help and to apologize for a fight they had before she was transported, but Ada messes up her chance. Hurt, Evie distances herself from Ada and helps in caring for a hurt dinosaur named Prince. Ada gets into trouble, and Evie goes to save her, with Prince saving them all from other dinosaurs. Evie gets the communicator to work and is able to be reunited with her moms with Ada's help. I liked the happy ending - short and sweet story that I finished in one sitting! The storyline is not that creative, memorable, or action-packed, but it's a fun middle grade read and the illustrations are wonderfully and vividly colored. The characters have big expressions and their antics brought up laughs. Any kid who loves dinosaurs will love this work! Loved the dinosaur drawings in the back with their names next to them. Very queer friendly - Evie appears more nonbinary in appearance, BIPOC, and has two moms. Written and illustrated by two queer individuals. I appreciated the message of the importance of friendship/relationships and how we need one another to survive.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Evie wakes up to find a dinosaur in her face, she's very lucky that it's a tiny, harmless dinosaur because - unluckily - she has somehow been separated from her parents and sent 67.5 million years in the past to North America's Cretaceous period.

Lost Time is a fast-paced overview of her adventures as she learns to survive and tries to find a way home, getting helpful tips from recordings left behind from a previous expedition through time and making friends with an orphaned pterosaur along the way. (Be prepared for this story will pull on your heartstrings a bit, especially if you, like me, are made unreasonably sad by sad animals in stories.)

The artwork was bright and clear and the text was rather minimal, propelling the action along. The dinosaur illustrations were cool, and the concept of surviving in the Cretaceous period was fascinating, though the ending felt rushed and a little unexplained. Overall I would have liked to see more details of Evie's adventures.

Publisher recommended for ages 8-12.

[Union County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an accident for twelve-year-old Evie to get stranded 67.5 million years ago in the Cretaceous period and even worse, she is stuck there all alone, at least until she rescues a dinosaur egg that hatches into a pterosaur, who she names Ada. With Ada’s help, Evie must find a way to survive in a dangerous time period and try to beat the odds to find a way back to her mothers in her time. This middle grade graphic novel is an exciting and emotional story with an endearing art style, which has a cartoonish feel while also being very detailed and vivid. Mukanik creates fairly accurate depictions of dinosaurs inspired by the most recent dinosaur knowledge at the time of the book's publishing and even includes some notes in the back on the different species that appear in the story! This fun and entertaining book takes the reader along for Evie's survival journey in a way that captures the imagination and will appeal to many dinosaur fans. The book's publisher, Penguin Random House, recommends this book for ages 8-12 or grades 3-7.

- Reviewed by Joseph B.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl gets stuck in prehistory, living with dinosaurs. The art is a real strength here. It's got a nice, simple, manga inspired style, while still making the dinosaurs look mostly scientifically accurate. The main dinosaur is a quetzalcoatlus, a type of pterosaur. It's a refreshingly out of the box choice, and it helps that the real creature is so visually striking. The story itself is a bit of a slow burn. It's largely wordless, which I don't mind, but it also takes a good chunk of time to get going. Personally I didn't like that it takes so long to find out exactly how Evie ended up lost in time, because the reveal just isn't dramatic enough to make that feel worthwhile. Intentionally less thrilling than Jurassic Park, I think this'll appeal to readers who like dinosaurs but don't want either a lot of science content or gore.

[Diane Ramic · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork in this graphic novel does so much justice to its prehistoric subjects, the author/artist has done a fantastic job depicting paleofauna accurately yet simplified in a way that works well for the art style. The story was a lovely ride, and easy to follow. All of the images and text were readable, and at no point did I feel as lost as Evie while reading about her adventures! I also love that it's a self-contained story, perfect for those who want to get into a compact setting and plot without needing to make a huge investment dozens of volumes long. Super recommend this book!

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this graphic novel for middle graders in one evening. Once I started reading, I had to find out how it ended. The illustrations are vivid and detailed and remind me of manga. The artwork tells most of the story as there are many wordless panels throughout. I had to suspend my belief that Evie could survive on her own in prehistoric times and tame not one but two dinosaurs. The action and suspense will keep readers wanting to turn another page.

[Tobias · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this! Hard to go wrong with a fast-paced time-travel dinosaur romp. The art was especially great—vibrant, sweeping, and doing a lot of heavy lifting on the storytelling front—and the seamless queer inclusion (not always well-executed in middle grade) was a plus. There's not as much here in terms of world-building or deeply character-driven plot, but I didn't feel like it was under-delivering on that based on the pitch and initial pages. Sometimes you just need a neat dino story.

[Rowan]

the comic asks a lot of the reader by starting in such a way that it feels like it's picking up from a previous book. then there's a lot of convenient 'so the plot can happen' moments, which i feel like any dino-obsessed kiddo is going to call into question. but maybe some kids will glide right past the fact that the main character domesticates not one but two dinosaurs in a pretty short amount of time. otherwise, it's a sweet story of independence and learning how to ask for help.

[Corina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action packed middle grade graphic novel about a 12 yr old girl who accidentally gets lost in time - back to the Cretaceous period. She must learn to survive with her trusty rescued Quetzalcoatlus (a type of pterosaur) on an abandoned research station until she can hopefully be reunited with her mothers. Ada, the pterosaur, is wonderfully expressive and is the clear star of this story. Overall, fun, especially if you like dinosaurs!

LGBT+ rep: MC has two moms

[Cindy Mooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son read this and loved it. He said "Mom, you HAVE to read this one. It's so good!" There is a girl who travels back in time to the time of dinosaurs after an argument with her mother's and desperately wants to get back to them.
When he was telling me about the story it sounded like Land of the Lost which I loved when I was a kid. We might need to watch that next because I completely forgot it existed.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hey - not sure if you noticed this yet, but the cover of this book involves RIDING ON A FRICKING DINOSAUR. Why are you reading my words when ultimate wish fulfillment is just one book away?

3.5

Decent plot and setting - great dinosaurs. Mukanik has taken the time to get the art right and it makes this book a lot of fun to look at.

Have I mentioned the cover yet?

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A simple story where Evie travels back in time accidentally and survives until found much later by her parents. Evie raises a pterosaur, learns to fly it, and befriends a tyrannosaurus rex. She survives with the aid of some recordings until her parents finally locate her. I thought this story had promise.