Loop

Gr 9 Up—Bree is a Shifter, one of the lucky few born with the ability to travel through time. For Shifters in the 23rd century, history exams are hands-on affairs. When Bree's midterm sends her to the 21st century, she bungles it magnificently. The teen manages to kidnap a boy named Finn, lose a valuable device belonging to a temporal smuggler, and earn a 'D' for her trouble. Later, when she returns to retrieve the contraband, she accidentally transports Finn back to the future with her. Finn is now three years older than when they first met, and he claims to know—and love—Bree's future self. They trade witty banter as they investigate a mystery involving Bree's future actions, her comatose mother, and a conspiracy that stretches through the ages. The intricate plot circles back on itself, exploring themes of inevitability and predestination. Akins avoids many of the paradoxes that plague time-travel stories, laying out the rules of Shifting, then tweaking those rules without breaking them. While the time line gets a bit murky near the conclusion, the action and repartee come fast enough that few readers will mind. Loop is time well spent.—Tony Hirt, Hennepin County Library, MN