The Time Paradox

Gr 5—8—In this complex story (Hyperion, 2008) by Eoin Colfer, teenager Artemis Fowl meets his 10-year-old self, doesn't like him very much, and makes him an enemy (at least for a while). When Artemis's mother falls critically ill, he discovers that the only cure lies with the brain fluid from a lemur that he destroyed when he was younger in an effort to earn money to finance his father's rescue. Artemis travels back in time to right this wrong, a time when heknew nothing about the fairy world and never had dealings with Holly Short, Mulch Diggums, or Opal Koboi. Nathaniel Parker narrates this action-packed tale. He's a master at switching voices and personalities, revealing the younger Artemis's impatience and lack of understanding, while keeping desperation as well as tolerance in the voice of his "older" self. Parker's top-notch performance captures the emotions of all the characters, and his pacing adds additional excitement and tension for listeners.—Edith Ching, formerly Washington Latin Public Charter School, DC