Timelight

by Faith Conlon

Overview

Can a mysterious power help a thirteen-year-old boy solve the disappearance that has fractured his family?

Seventh grader Charlie Winter has never stopped believing he can find his missing mom, even when his dad has given up hope. Three years after she vanished on Charlie’s birthday, his mom’s disappearance remains a mystery no one wants to talk about. No one, that is, except Charlie’s grandmother. Then, during a strange snowstorm, his grandmother is injured and Charlie learns a secret: she’s a time traveler. And so is he.

Soon Charlie embarks on a dangerous adventure with his three best friends, searching the past for a magical silver amulet he believes is the key to finding his mom. As they cross continents and centuries, rescuing animal companions along the way, Charlie and his friends discover they aren’t alone. Malcolm Mordrex, a vengeful time traveler seeking the same amulet for darker purposes, is chasing them.

With harrowing obstacles at every turn and his friends thrust into a terrible trap, Charlie must find a way to defeat Malcolm and face a choice about his own past—a choice that could mean life or death. And time is ticking down . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781959411819
Publisher:	Girl Friday Books
Publication date:	10/29/2024
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Faith Conlon is a writer of fiction for young people. She began her career as a book editor in New York, later directing the publishing program for two decades at the independent feminist company Seal Press, where she launched the careers of many notable women writers. For many years she worked as a writing and reading mentor to young students, volunteering in both schools and public libraries. She is a member of the Western Washington chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Authors Guild. Timelight is her first novel. She lives with her family in Seattle, Washington.

Editorial Reviews

Time travel, friendship, history, family, soccer, and magic — this story has everything I want! Conlon’s storytelling captures a sense of adventure and emotional depth we all crave. I love Charlie and his friends, and you will, too. —Tegan Tigani, Children’s Book Buyer, Queen Anne Book Company

“When Charlie Winter learns his grandmother’s secret, he is launched into a time traveling quest to find a magical silver amulet that might solve the mystery of his missing mom, putting him right in the path of the evil Malcolm Mordrex. Luckily, Charlie has the help of three good friends—plus a dog, a cat, and a parrot fluent in French! This is a page turner with a big heart.” —Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor author of Hattie Big Sky

“A leisurely build-up leads to adventures that come thick and fast once the characters start going back in time. Charlie is a sympathetic character with loyal friends that readers will want to know more about.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[Timelight] offers an innovative take on time travel . . . a fun book of time-traveling adventure.” —YA and Kids Books Central

“A vivid time travel story that crosses generations of intent, power, and legacy . . . The action is swift, but what shines is the characterization . . . Libraries seeking an action-packed children’s adventure that elevates its subjects beyond time travel alone will find Timelight a powerful acquisition that works on a number of different thought-provoking levels.” —D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

2024-08-17
Can a young Seattle soccer player save the world from a power-hungry time traveler?

As Charlie Winter nears his 13th birthday, his grandmother is gravely injured in an explosion. Before the ambulance arrives, she gives him the Winter Stone, a family heirloom. Then, vengeful time traveler Malcolm Mordrex starts stalking Charlie. Malcolm claims to know where to find Charlie’s mother, who’s been missing for three years, but he wants the silver wolf amulet, which Charlie doesn’t have. Later, Nana tells Charlie that the Winter Stone allows gifted individuals like them to time travel via an energy force called Timelight. Mr. Tanaka, Nana’s Japanese American bookseller friend, shares information about the silver wolf. Drawing conclusions from what he learns, Charlie plans an illicit trip back in time to May 8, 1945, V-E Day, but when Malcolm pursues him, he ends up accidentally time traveling with three of his friends. A leisurely build-up leads to adventures that come thick and fast once the characters start going back in time. The time-travel mechanism is creative and intriguing but excessively complicated, with an abundance of convenient rules that crop up when needed to get the desired results. Charlie is a sympathetic character, with loyal friends readers will want to know more about. Many questions remain unanswered at the end of this series opener. Charlie presents white; his friends are cued white, Black, and Chinese American.

An imaginative premise let down by overly convoluted worldbuilding and too many coincidences. (author’s note)(Science fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews