Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Book Talk: Time Travel

I say Time Travel and Books and Children and most people are going to think of A Wrinkle in Time, right? Strangely enough, Australia does not have a strong A Wrinkle in Time history. It's not one of those 'must read' books like Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, anything by Morris Gleitzman or Seven Little Australians. Introducing A Wrinkle in Time to Australian children can be hard work - luckily there's plenty of other Time Travel books to get them into the theme . . .

Battle Boy series by Charlie Carter (warning, that website has noises . . .)
Battle Boy is the story of a boy who travels back in time to different battles wearing a special 'skin'. They're easy to read books (at a lower reading level than most of my students) but extremely high interest, which means they're popular with all students. It's a great book for reluctant and lower end readers because they are so popular - and there's history in them!


Time Riders by Alex Scarrow
Three kids from three different times are about to die. Suddenly an old man approaches them, telling them to 'take my hand'. The kids have been recruited as Time Riders, forever to live in a two day period over September 10th and 11th 2001. This is a complex and fascinating book which really stretched the reading skills of the student who read it in my class. It incorporates World War Two history, John F Kennedy, and more modern history to create a really rich novel.

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
A plane arrives without warning. There is no pilot. No adults. Just rows and rows of babies. This story twisted and turned so much it felt like I was on a rollercoaster reading it. Highly, highly recommended for those who like time travel books.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
I know how much has been written and said about this book, but it's all true. I think the knowledge of a Wrinkle in Time definately makes it a richer story, but I also think that children could be encouraged to 'find' a Wrinkle in Time through this book.



What time travel books do you love? What's some must read time travel books?

1 comments:

alex scarrow said...

Thank you for reccomending TimeRiders! It's very kind of you to give it a name-check.

Perhaps I can tease you with a link to the book's trailer?

http://www.time-riders.co.uk/

all the best

Alex Scarrow (author)

A Reader's Community

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A Reader's Community is a place to find ideas, information, resources and recommendations about Reader's Workshop.

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