Penelope is running out of time!
She dreams of being a writer, but how can she pursue her passion when her mother schedules every minute of her life? And how will she ever prove that writing is worthwhile if her mother keeps telling her to “get busy!” and “be more productive”?
Then one day, Penelope discovers a hole in her schedule–an entire day completely unplanned!–and she mysteriously falls into it. What follows is a mesmerizing journey through the Realm of Possibility, where Penelope sets out to find and free the Great Moodler, the one person who may have the answers she seeks. Along the way, she must face an army of Clockworkers, battle the evil Chronos, take a daring Flight of Fancy, and save herself from the grip of time.
The excerpt on the back cover, plus the cover art of the Lost Track of Time. All credit goes to the author, Paige Britt.
Intrigued? Read on:
A whimsical tale of wit and wordplay, The Lost Track of Time tells a tale that will delight young fans of Lewis Carroll and Norton Juster. Aspiring writer Penelope escapes her tight schedule and falls into a world where everything is twisted up and imagination is fading away. Can she save this strange new world and get back home?
What I love:
This novel is a conglomeration of puns, double-meanings, and truly inspired writing. It’s a fun, easy read with a handful of vibrant characters. The backstory is efficient, the world a nonsensical yet perfectly logical place all at once. The worldbuilding is creative and beautiful. The whole thing is reminiscent of The Phantom Tollbooth, a classic by Norton Juster.
Dill, the secondary character, was the most memorable. He’s lovable and quirky, with odd habits like repeating synonyms of the same word three times (“It’s impossible. Inconceivable. Out of the question.”) and has an obsession with mushrooms. The whole tale is very cute and clever.
What I don’t love:
Ah, the typical unhelpful parents. It seems there are only two choices when it comes to protagonists’ parents–dead or annoying. I don’t like how the author made the parents seem like opponents rather than allies., and altogether just plain useless. They come off as shallow and inconsiderate.
Not to mention, not all of the things the main character views as “bad” or “good” are nothing of the sort. There is nothing wrong with a little structure to your day.
Content warnings:
Foggy themes.
The morals in this story are confusing. Many of the things they label as bad aren’t bad at all, only taken to an extreme. This could confuse young children.
Ratings:
Appropriate content: 4/5
Story construction: 3.5/5
Writing skill: 3.5/5
Ethics: 3/5
Other information:
Christian: No
Point of view: Third person limited
Tense: Past tense
Romance: No
Series: No
Conclusion:
Paige Britt has created a lovely, hilarious tale of wordplay and wonder in an adorable addition to the same niche in which you will find Alice in Wonderland or The Phantom Tollbooth. An enjoyable read for children from 8 to 12 years and a fun read-aloud for family, I would gladly recommend this beautiful book. Altogether, I would rate this book as 3.5 mushrooms out of 5.
Thank you for reading!
–Astor
Psst! Have suggestions or requests for the next book review? Comment below! And don’t forget to subscribe to receive free access to my short story, The Shadow Queen!
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