Time Travelling with a Hamster
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
For readers who loved Wonder and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time this extraordinary debut will make you laugh and cry.
A story that crosses time and generations, for adventure-loving readers young and old.
“My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty nine and again four years later when he was twelve.”
On Al Chaudhury’s twelfth birthday his beloved Grandpa Byron gives him a letter from Al’s late father. In it Al receives a mission: travel back to 1984 in a secret time machine and save his father’s life.
Al soon discovers that time travel requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, setting his school on fire and ignoring philosophical advice from Grandpa Byron. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer…
Time Travelling With a Hamster is a funny, heart-warming race-against-time – and across generations – adventure that you will won’t be able to put down.
Reviews
‘The gripping suspense truly makes time fly… the book’s heart and humour are hard to resist.’ Piers Torday, author of The Last Wild
“Extremely clever and totally engaging.” The Irish Times
“Intelligent, well crafted and impressive.” Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times
‘Touching, silly and exciting by turns, this thrilling little book is an inventive take on time travel for children. Sure to be a hit with fans of R.J. Palacio's Wonder… an unforgettable, madcap story from a bright new talent in Children’s fiction.’ Waterstones
“A touching tale of family, grief and love.” Daily Express
‘With intriguing twists from start to finish, this story is a real roller coaster of emotions. It warmed my heart and filled my head with wonder! A fast, funny and really satisfying read that sparks your imagination.’ Joseph, 10
About the author
Ross Welford was a journalist and television producer before becoming a full-time writer. He lives in London with his wife, children, a border collie and several tropical fish. This is his first novel.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The lighthearted title of British writer Welford's debut misleads a bit: this is a heavy story about loss that asks weighty scientific questions. Albert Einstein Hawking Chaudhury, a British boy of Indian descent, receives two unusual gifts for his 12th birthday: a hamster and a letter from his late father, Pye (short for Pythagoras), who died suddenly four years earlier, devastating Al. The startling letter makes Al's friendless existence seem trivial: Pye wants Al to use a time machine hidden at the family's former home to avert the childhood injury that will eventually lead to his death at age 39. "Great birthday present, Dad," Al thinks before embarking on a risky mission that begins with vehicle theft and ends with arson. All the while, Welford has Al grapple with complex questions about the effects of altering the space-time continuum, including whether an unsuccessful mission might mean erasing himself. Though Welford's story runs a tad long and can get rather complicated (perhaps understandably given his approach to the theoretical subject), it should find a home with readers looking for mind-expanding, thought-provoking adventures. Ages 8 12.
