Time Tracers

Gr 4–6—Taj Carter has the unique ability to create fun times for all those around him. He's the class clown and the life of every party. He's the kid determined to make this summer the "Best Summer Ever." But Taj wakes up the day after the last day of school only to find that it is the dreaded first day of school. For Taj, his friends, and his family, the summer has simply disappeared. More accurately, Taj discovers, their summers have been stolen. Now Taj must help an agency of Time Tracers retrieve the lost summers from a nasty buglike race of Time Thieves before time as Taj knows it implodes. Bondor-Stone and White have crafted a highly entertaining tale. The narrative is light and enjoyable. The villains are straightforwardly evil, and the protagonist is a cool every-kid. The mechanics of the Time Thieves and why/how they steal time are pretty vague, so a generous suspension of disbelief is required.