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Reviewed by:
  • Time Shifters by Chris Grine
  • April Spisak
Grine, Chris Time Shifters; written and illus. by Chris Grine. Graphix/Scholastic, 2017 [272p]
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-545-92659-1 $24.99
Paper ed. ISBN 978-0-545-92657-7 $12.99
Reviewed from galleys         R Gr. 5-8

Luke hasn't been the same since his older brother died trying to save him from drowning a year ago. He still can't resist his curiosity, however, when a strange flash leads him into the nearby forest, and suddenly he's off on a grand, perilous, and life-changing adventure. Now Luke is running along with Abe Lincoln (well, a robot with his name), a dinosaur, a ghost, and an inventor who are all trying to evade an equally motley group of bad guys (the vampire version of Napoleon is particularly memorable). There's a crackling cool multiverse, time travel that is complex and has actual consequences, and giant spiders in an Old West setting—what more could you want? This graphic novel uses both text and illustration to full effect, with the story progressing through both. The drawings are particularly effective in scenes of loss, for example, where words would be inadequate to describe Luke's grief but it's painfully present in his hollow, aching stare. The humor, action, and heavy content make an interesting mix and Grine handles it with aplomb, allowing for both pathos and excitement without dampening either. Luke eventually makes a choice that may initially shock readers, but it is one that allows for more volumes (and a change in the timeline of his family). Cinema buffs will be on optimistic alert—this graphic novel premise is just about as movie ready as it gets.

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