Overall, this is an enchanting and illuminating story that is laced with enough thrill and heart-stopping adventure that will not only enthrall the young kids but will also intrigue the mature readers too.

I’m going to do it. I’m going to follow my dad’s instructions, and travel in time. I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I’m still not.” Despite me enjoying children’s books, this was perhaps a little young for me to fully fall in love with, but I did thoroughly enjoy it, and think it is a great book for teenagers and older children who are confident readers. Plus, this would make a fun story for parents to read to their children too. The glorious start to a middle-grade trilogy about a brilliant boy, his loyal friends, and some amazingly intelligent beetles that brings together adventure, humor, and real science!Alexander Bisland, age 10- 'This book has a rollercoaster of emotions and it ends with a cliff-hanger. I would really like to read a sequel.' Ee, well, not really.” (This “Ee” that Mum says, it’s part of her Geordie accent, and it usually makes me smile,” Lauren Carver, age 9- ' Time Travelling with A Hamsteris a funny and quite emotional book. The ending is lovely and cherishing. I think Ross is very talented and thoughtful. Best book ever!' There’s a bit of the Geordie dialect in all of my books. I thought it would be helpful for some readers – especially non-Brits – to get an idea of how this actually sounds. Okay, color me impressed! You've heard me praise the wonders of Middle Grade fiction and its wonderful authors many a time, and yet it never fails to stun me how much goodness comes out of the books written for this age group. Ross Welford has penned a gem here. Time Traveling With A Hamster simultaneously pulls together the importance of family, the grey areas we face when making hard decisions, the beauty (and issues) associated with being passionate about something, and even owning up to ones own mistakes. I am so thrilled to have read this, and can't recommend it enough!

It is the world’s oldest club for magicians and requires anaudition tojoin. The Circle meets every Monday in the wonderful headquarters in central London, where there is a theatre and a large library – including a copy of the world’s oldest magic book TheDiscoverie ofWitchcraft by Reginald Scott from 1584. Our hero is Albert Einstein Hawking Chaudhury (Al for short)– oh, and of course his hamster, Alan Shearer (like the main character of this book my son is not a great football fan, so I had to explain who that referred to. Thankfully, he knew Einstein…). On his twelfth birthday, Grandpa Byron gives Al a letter from his father. The problem is that his father has died, but according to the letter, Al can use his time machine to prevent his death. It’s not always easy being Death: a witty and gloriously gothic tale of friendship and discovery from bestselling Jenni Spangler. Looking at the title and the cover copy though, I was expecting a light, entertaining romp with a kid and his pet hamster. Of the pet hamster, Alan Shearer, there is very little, his presence is inconsequential, almost an after-thought. And even though there are moments of light and fun (hey, time traveling shenanigans are always fun), this book turned out to be darker and more thoughtful than I was expecting. This is not a bad thing per se but the problem with this is that the narrative voice doesn’t quite decide if it wants to sound very young or much older. Thirteen-year-old Ethel absolutely hates having acne, and will go to some pretty drastic measures to cure it - but she didn't imagine she'd turn invisible. Full of pathos and moral dilemma, this book is a great parable for the emotional turmoil of puberty.

The 1,000-year-old Boy

As a lifelong magic-nerd, I was thrilled when, in 2019, I was admitted as a member of The Magic Circle.

I AM. IN. LOVE. This is officially the best cover buy I ever made, I saw this book in my local bookstore, never heard of it before, the cover was so catchy and I looked up and saw this: The whole story is centered around the boy and his grandfather's relationship through good times and bad times. They both had a strong bond of friendship and trust and is arrested by the author with lots of deep, heart-felt emotions. Albert Einstein Hawking Chaudhury is celebrating his twelfth birthday with his mom, stepdad Steve, his stepsister Carly, and his grandpa Bryon. One of his presents is a hamster! Al names him Alan Shearer. Well, actually Steve suggests the name, but Al likes it. Al knows Steve is really trying to be friends, but Al can't accept it, although he is polite. His real dad died when Al was eight years old, he still misses his dad, Pie (Pythagoras). So begins an adventure which Al hopes will turn out ok. There are significant obstacles - one being he no longer lives in the house of his earlier childhood. His mom moved miles away into Steve's house when they got married. Al will have to break into his old house now occupied by new owners. The second is Al is only twelve - not a lot of money, no driver's license, watchful adults, neighborhood bullies, school attendence, supplies, etc. Of course, the biggest obstacle is getting his dad's time machine to work. It involves computer skills and following the strange directions his father explained in his letter. But most important, Al is not confident he can overcome the significant obstacles in his way. But if he can change the past! To see his dad again! This book is very good. It is about a boy travelling through time with his hamster to try and stop his dads death.

LoveReading4Kids Says

Ross was my school’s visiting author as part of our Sant Jordi day festivities, and this book was the one my students kept telling me about, kept asking if I’d read yet. And they were right: it is a beautiful, inclusive, big hearted book about grief, family, and loneliness. Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute and it feels like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. THAT’S relativity.” Buy from our bookstore and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books. *15% of eBooks. Home > you know the way?” We walk up the alleyway from the seafront toward Chesterton Road, past the jungle of scrubland where the foxes lived, and we look at the house from across the road. All the time I’m thinking about how I’m going to get into the cellar”

Stephanie Chaplin- 'I loved this book because it has action all the way through and it was hard to put the book down.' I’m not sure I’m any less baffled by time travel after reading this, but what a fun adventure of a story. LoveReading4Kids exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading4Kids means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives. My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty nine and again four years later when he was twelve. The first time had nothing to do with me. The second time definitely did, but I would never even have been there if it hadn't been for his 'time machine'...Anastasia Abdian, age 11- ' Time Travelling With a Hamsteris a fantastic book. You will laugh and cry as you read about Al Chaudhury's adventure to prevent an accident and save his father. You must read this amazing novel.'