Want your children to find the fun in history? Have them travel back in time with the “Time Warp Trio” series. Sure, it’s been a hit on the Discovery Kids Channel on TV, but the wacky books came first, and they’re still a riot. In this very first book of the series, best friends Joe, Fred, and Sam find themselves being threatened by the Black Knight after a magic book Joe receives at his birthday party sends them back to King Arthur's time, complete with a smelly giant and a fire-breathing dragon. OK, this is not exactly factual, but it sure is merry.
For readers who want to know more about King Arthur and his knights, there are several excellent books listed below. (You will most likely not find them in your bookstore—books of folklore for children never go out of style, but, sadly, tend to go out of print faster than almost anything—but your school and/or public library may have copies, thank goodness.) The tongue-in-cheek silliness of the Time Warp Trio will thrill reluctant readers, with pun-filled sequels like The Good, the Bad, and the Goofy (1992), The Not-So-Jolly Roger (1991), and Your Mother Was a Neanderthal (1993). The website, www.timewarptrio.com, is pretty terrific, with games, video clips, and supporting bibliographies of books and websites on the time periods and places visited in the two dozen books and TV shows.
Reviewed by JF.
Themes: ADVENTURE & ADVENTURERS. FANTASY. HUMOR.
Short, easy-to-read sentences and lots of zany dialogue perfectly suit the breathless pace.
- School Library Journal
Smith's drawings deftly reflect the blend of everyday kid with zany, mock-gruesome adventure.
- Kirkus