One of Canada's top scientists has discovered the secret to time travel. But something has gone horribly wrong . . . .
On the first day of school, in a new city, Sarah Sachs experiences the shock of her life when she sees a car drive right through a strange boy. Did she really see it, or was it a figment of her imagination?
The boy? Matt Barnes, son of the world-famous physicist, Dr. Nathan Barnes.
The figment? Not so imaginary. A powerful new technology that could be behind Dr. Barnes’s disappearance.
Sarah becomes swept up in Matt Barnes’s life as she helps him search for his father. They uncover an unusual device in a secret laboratory—a device that throws them far from the modern city of Ottawa into the forest-matted land of the 1600’s. In this strange New World, they must contend with wild animals and somehow survive a war between the Algonquin and Iroquois nations. But eventually they’ll have to make a decision that might change the world as we know it. Should they meddle with time?
"Combining time travel technology, history and mystery, Time Meddlers is an enthralling science fiction story that transports readers from present day Ottawa back in time to the 1600s....Suspense, humour and memorable characters make this exciting adventure a page turner."
–Diana Mumford, Canadian Teacher Magazine
"The characters are very real, and the situations make the book quite a page turner. Can time travel change history? . . . Includes a glossary of Native tribes and terms, and a set of questions for reading groups."
– Children's Literature
Science fiction has long held a fascination for young, inquisitive minds. What are the alternative possibilities to everyday life? Is the course of history locked in some pattern or can individuals truly have an impact on how events transpire? Jackson poses these questions admirably, showing how the young can act on their own initiative and maintain a set of effective values. These two clash with adults, with each other and with their peers. But they also learn reconciliation and cooperation between themselves and a larger community. They understand how today's actions lead to tomorrow's results, and selfish behaviour can be carried only so far. This book is valuable for many reasons and an excellent "stocking stuffer" for any young person. Adults should find it of more than passing interest.
– Stephen A. Haines, the Oscar
