Johnny and the Bomb (Johnny Maxwell Trilogy #3) Book

When Johnny Maxwell finds himself mysteriously transported through time to the Second World War, he knows when and where bombs will fall. If he tells anyone, he risks changing the future. If he doesn't, innocent people will die. . . .

Children's Literature

Her unusual name may cause some sophisticated readers to consult the nearest encyclopedia, but even those who do not know that a trachyon is a special particle that is able to travel faster than the speed of light, will quickly learn that Mrs. Trachyon is a strange bag lady. She inadvertently lets a brick fall on an unexploded bomb in England during World War II. Flash forward to 1996, where we meet Johnny and his friends, Bigmac, Yo-less, Wobbler, and Kirsty. When Mrs. Trachyon is involved in an accident, Johnny takes her grocery cart of belongings and her cat Guilty back to his house. When he touches the amorphous bags in the cart, Johnny and his friends find themselves transported back in time to that fateful day when the German bombs hit their town. Johnny, a worrier by nature, discovers that he can take charge when he needs to. Pratchett's concept of parallel worlds, likens them to a pair of trousers: There are two different pantlegs, and each represents a path in time. They are quite similar. For each action we take, there is a consequence that causes the future to go in a certain direction. Each of our actions does matter. More than a lesson in history or physics, this encourages readers to accept that each of us is responsible for our own actions. Pratchett takes on issues such as Black stereotyping with his characteristic humor. Lively characters, humor, and a fascinating plot will make this a popular read. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo