Alex and the Amazing Time Machine

April 15, 2012
An enterprising young inventor goes to extraordinary lengths to rescue his kidnapped brother. With a little luck, some duct tape, mirrors, a laser pointer and an iPod, fifth-grader Alex Trumble is going to turn back the clock and save his brother, who seems to have literally disappeared into thin air along with his kidnappers. Fortunately, Alex is a genius obsessed with breaking the time barrier and seriously well read on the subject. His brother's kidnapping is the catalyst that propels Alex into action. Failure is not an option. In his first novel for children, Cohen sets the stage for a rollicking time-travel adventure, but in the end, much like Alex's first few attempts at building a time machine, the story falls flat. Though there are a few suspenseful moments, as when thugs Carl and Little Davy corner Alex and question him about the whereabouts of the "dingus," they are too few and far between. The third-person narration gets bogged down in the logistics of time travel and time-machine construction, leaving readers distanced from the fear and emotion that drive Alex. Additionally, in the absence of a ransom or a glimpse of his conditions in captivity, it's difficult for readers to work up a sense of urgency about Steven's kidnapping. This emotional disconnect makes Alex's adventure a little less than amazing. (Science fiction. 8-12)

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June 1, 2012

Gr 4-6-Ten-year-old Alex Trumble loves to learn about new ideas through old books, and he frequently contemplates time travel. After two men nearly kidnap him and successfully nab his older brother, Alex builds a time-travel machine to go back in time and foil the villains. He uses equations he finds in an old book at the public library, mirrors, a laser pointer, his iPod, and an acceleration device put together by a street mechanic named Psycho. Alex's first endeavor sends his dog back to prehistoric times, which Alex and his friend Todd discover during their class trip to the Field Museum. Alex returns home and sends himself back in time to the day before Stephen was kidnapped; Todd follows him, and a lively narrative describes their efforts to change the outcome of events. The third-person narrator is revealed to be Alex's father, who is an aspiring author. Early chapters of this book are heavy with descriptions and ruminations about Alex and his life; the story becomes more engaging as the plot advances and characters develop with more action and dialogue. Pencil sketches provide breaks in the text. Science-fiction aficionados who are able to wrap their minds around the logistics of going back in time to alter the present and future may find this book intriguing.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI

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