Chronal Engine

Gr 5–8—Think Survivor and Robinson Crusoe, with a helping of Jurassic Park and a seasoning of The Time Machine. Max, 14, and his older brother and sister, twins Kyle and Emma, are staying at their reclusive grandfather's ranch near the Colorado River while their mom is off studying dinosaurs in Mongolia. As soon as they arrive, Grandpa tells them that Emma will be kidnapped, he will have a heart attack, and he has a time machine in the basement. Max and Kyle climb into a souped-up VW Bug and head back into the Cretaceous period, along with Petra, the housekeeper's daughter. Chaos ensues. Can they survive this ancient world with its many dangers? Who is the mysterious Samuel and why was Emma kidnapped in the first place? There's not a lot of character development, but who has time to be indulging in a lot of teen angst when you're running from a T. rex? A long author's note offers suggestions for further reading, both about dinosaurs and Robinson Crusoe read-alikes. The short length, breathless pace, and graphic-novel-esque, full-page illustrations might make this one appealing to reluctant readers, and there's nothing inappropriate for younger readers.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library