Tales of the Time Dragon #2: Racing the Waves

Gr 1–3—In this beginning reader, Lilly and Joe go back in time to 1851 when the clipper ship The Flying Cloud set a world record for sailing from New York to San Francisco. Red, a Time Dragon who guides them through different eras, meets the pair in New York Harbor, just as the ship sets sail. They learn a little about ship navigation from Captain Creesy's wife, Eleanor, and they encounter fierce storms and various other perils on the high sea. Two shipmates have a running gag about what's on the menu for each upcoming meal; the answer is always fish. While some of the dialogue is rather stilted and the sequencing isn't always smooth, readers not quite ready for Mary Pope Osborne's "Magic Treehouse" (Random) books may find this particular title interesting, especially if they are intrigued by ocean voyages. The map at the front showing the ship's path to the south around Cape Horn (not labeled), could use a few more details, such as where the Doldrums are located. Some additional back matter is included.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID