March 1, 2013
Gr 5-8-Time-traveling siblings Jonah and Katherine are experiencing a typical school day when time suddenly stops, leaving only previous time travelers unaffected. Before they can figure out what is going on, they are transported to the year 1903, landing in the home of Albert and Mileva Einstein. The two follow Mileva to Serbia to visit her ailing toddler daughter, Lieselr, who lives with Mileva's family in secret, and they arrive just in time to see her being kidnapped by time travelers. Soon after, Emily, the 21st-century Lieselr, is returned to 1903 where her mother, realizing what is going on, is forced to make a decision: keep her daughter with her and risk throwing time completely out of balance or find some other solution to the time conundrum. The latest installment (S & S, 2012) in Haddix's series provides plenty of cliffhangers and scientific discussions with a hearty dose of history, unveiling fascinating tidbits about the world's most renowned scientist and his lesser-known wife. Chris Sorensen's excellent pacing accentuates the book's cliffhangers while his distinct voices help listeners sort out the large cast of characters. The only glaring omission is the Author's Note present in the print edition, which provides interesting background information about Einstein, Mileva, and the mysterious Lieselr. Libraries already circulating the first four audiobooks in the series will want to add this excellent production to their collections.-Amy Dreger, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Beachwood, OH
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