Last fall I decided it would be a great idea to compile a list of books on time travel, as I have been enjoying this idea in the past few years. It’s taken a while, but I’ve gathered reviews of my own and others for my list. Some are much loved books; others I happened upon shelving or in the new book section of the library; and some I knew of from long ago. As with my exploration of Arthur, the different approaches and nuances make for interesting and thought provoking reading. Of course, there are others not included (I avoided the popular romance/time travel books, because I’m not particularly interested in them. I also haven’t explored the adult books; that would require much more time to decide which are appropriate for young adults.) Feel free to add your own favorites.
Classic:
The Time Machine by H G Wells – review at NMS Book Reviews
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain – review at Reader’s Club
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – review at BookAdvice
6th-YA:
The Ancient One by T A Barron – review at BookAdvice, NPR interview with T A Barron by Steve Curwood
The Dark Is Rising Series by Susan Cooper (favorite) – review at BookAdvice
*The Dark Is Rising and Silver on the Tree are the books in the series with time warping.
The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen – review at Scholar’s Blog
The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey (favorite)
- Dragonflight – reviews at StarDragon’s Den and BookLoons
- The White Dragon – review at Flights of Fantasy
- review of series at Ex Libris
The Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley-Archer – review at BookAdvice
Guardians of Time by Marianne Curley – reviews at Scribd and Sarah’s Books (spoilers)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling (favorite)
- reviews at BookPage and Sonderbooks
- review of series at BookAdvice
London Calling by Edward Bloor – reviews at BlogCritics, BookMoot, and BookAdvice
Lost in Cyberspace by Richard Peck – review at Booktalks
Maddigan’s Fantasia by Margaret Mahy – review at BookAdvice
The Mirror of Merlin by T A Barron (part of Lost Years of Merlin series, favorite) – review at BookAdvice
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett – review at BookAdvice
On Etruscan Time by Tracy Barrett – review at BookAdvice
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury – review at BookAdvice
The Starry Rift by Jonathan Strahan (short stories) – review at BookAdvice
Switching Well by Peni R Griffin – review at BookAdvice
Tanglewreck by Jeanette Winterson – review at Scholar’s Blog
Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett – ultra-condensed at BookAdvice
Victory by Susan Cooper – reviews at Your Neighborhood Librarian, The Edge of the Forest, and BookAdvice
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead – review at BookAdvice
3rd-5th:
Archer’s Quest by Linda Sue Park – reviews at Fuse #8 and BookAdvice
Charlie Bone and The Time Twister by Jenny Nimmo – reviews at Mrs. Mad’s Book-a-Rama and BookAdvice
Good Times Travel Agency by Linda Bailey il Bill Slavin – reviews at TTLG (Greece and Vikings), Social Studies for Kids (Greece), and BookAdvice (series)
On the Blue Comet by Rosemary Wells – review at BookAdvice
Qwerty Stevens Back in Time by Dan Gutman – review at BookAdvice
Qwerty Stevens, Stuck in Time with Benjamin Franklin by Dan Gutman (sequel) – review at BookAdvice
The Time Hackers by Gary Paulsen – review at BookPage
Time Warp Trio Series by Jon Scieszka – review at Epinions, list of series at BookAdvice
Picture and Beginners:
The Dinosaurs Meet Dr. Clock by Martha Weston – review at BookAdvice
Time Train by Paul Fleischman il Claire Ewart – review from BookList at Jackson Library, LA
January 24th, 2008 at 4:20 am
You have missed a great book, age appropriate for young adults.
Me, Myself and I by Jane Louise Curry
(Here is the amazon.com link:
http://www.amazon.com/Me-Mysel.....38;sr=1-12 )
Eventually, your readers grow up and they may read the more ‘adult’ literature.
Then I best recommend THE best time travel novel, David Gerrold’s (same guy who won the Hugo Award for ‘The Trouble
With Tribbles’ episode from the original ‘Star Trek’ television series.
(Here is an amazon.com link:
http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-.....038;sr=1-2 )
January 26th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Thank you for your suggestions. The McCaffrey books and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court are the only adult time travel books I’ve read. I’ve got a few that I’d like to read and haven’t gotten to them yet. Don’t want to personally recommend adult books I haven’t read unless I know someone else well whose read them. Not just because there tends to be more garbage in them, but also because it’s much more reading and discouraging when the book doesn’t turn out as good as expected.
It may also be helpful to know that my preferences are more fantasy than sci fi. If anyone can recommend some excellent sci fi-good. It’s not a genre I’ve read much of. Are there some that are written well enough that nontech people would be interested?
January 27th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Fantastic list. I too enjoy well-written time travel stories. Here’s one of my favorites, though it is for adults: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN by Christopher Golden.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Gosh ! I wandered over here from Jen Robinson’s Blog – and am flattered to see you’ve included links to several of my reviews in your list – thank you kindly.
Can I heartily recommend Linda Buckley-Archer’s “Gideon the Cutpurse” and “The Tar Man” (The Time Thief in the US) – both are completely compelling reading…
January 28th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Because I had such a long list of books. I didn’t want to use only my own reviews. Plus there were some books I had read and liked well before I started doing reviews. I searched the books on my list and tried to include all of the good reviews I could find.
Michele, I believe your site came up about 3 times, and I like your style. You have good discussion without giving away the whole story.
I have only recently gotten into the idea of doing lists, but I want to list them as reviews not just titles. It’s more work, but also more helpful.
I believe The Time Thief is one of the books on my ever-growing list of books to read.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Little Willow, I have also checked out your site. I especially like your many author interviews. I don’t think I’ve linked to you yet, but I have put some of your book suggestions on my list to read. My 2 older sons are reading YA books now with an occasional adult. So I know your reviews will be helpful.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I really like that time travel has become a big theme. When I was young it was considered kind of cheesy. Fantasy in general was, except a few books. There is so much that can be done with it, though. It’s only a matter of using a different perspective.
February 2nd, 2008 at 6:26 pm
This post started out as an attempt at speedlinking using BlogCarnival. The submissions I received were totally unrelated to my category. Next, I tried searching for reviews on specific books. It turns out this is not the best way to speedlink, because too many of the top ranking sites are not as related nor the quality I had hoped for. I did find some great reviews and other awesome sites and articles, but there was nothing speedy about the process. I probably will do more posts like it (already have another good idea). I just won’t expect it to be a speedlinker.
March 4th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I read a great time travel book a few years ago, but I can’t remember title or author, hoping someone can help. A daughter of a physicist is given a bracelet by an olde woman that alows here to travel through time and to alternate universes, just before her death she goes back through time and gives it to herself.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Chad – the book you are after is Here, There And Everywhere by Chris Roberson.
December 19th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
My son remembers reading a book about a boy who travels back in time to fight with Robert the Bruce. He also remembers that the boys dog goes with him but is killed once they return to modern day. The dog saves the boy from being hit by a car he thinks. Any idea of the title of this book???
January 25th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Anyone who likes time travel stories should check out my book ‘A Time For Susan’ and also my other books which are about life after death.
http://www.afterlifenovels.com
Gary J McCleary.