Review by Anaia, Beaconsfield High School 
This page turner of a novel will hook you from the very first chapter. A rather unique form of transport – a shopping trolley called Hattie – transports Angus, the main character, and his friends across exciting periods like Shakespearian England, the Suffragette Era and even the 99th Century. The story finally ends in Ancient Egypt for the final battle against Evil Emperor Kragg, who wants to rule the world. Along the way, Marge (the owner of Hattie and lady at the cheese counter who travels into history to find good cheese) and Angus meet up with famous historical figures like William Shakespeare, Emmeline Pankhurst and a Viking called Bjorn Bloodclaw. I liked the array of different personalities, but my favourite character was Emmeline Pankhurst, because she was skilled at martial arts – and that was cool. One thing I enjoyed less about the story was how it confused me because in the final battle, as there was too much going on and switching between numerous time periods. I would recommend this fun and exciting novel for 8 – 10-year-olds or for readers who enjoy a few fun facts about history.

Review by Ruby Rose, age 13, Omagh Academy
The Kid Who Fell Through Time is a book that I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did. At first, it just sounded like a slightly random time-travel story, but it actually turned out to be really funny and surprisingly interesting. It also made history seem a lot less boring than it usually does, which I didn’t think was possible. The story follows Angus, a boy who really dislikes history and doesn’t understand why it matters. I could relate to that at the beginning because sometimes history can just feel like remembering dates and facts that don’t mean much. However, everything changes when Angus accidentally falls into a shopping trolley that turns out to be a time machine (which is already not a normal situation). From that point on, he gets thrown into different time periods like Roman Britain and Ancient Egypt, and instead of just learning about history, he’s actually stuck in it.

One of the best things about this book is the humour. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it much more enjoyable to read. For example, the fact that Angus is travelling through time with Marge, a cheese counter lady from the future, is completely unexpected and quite funny. It sounds ridiculous, but it actually works really well and makes the story stand out from other books. There are lots of moments where things go wrong in a chaotic way, which made it more entertaining because you never really know what’s going to happen next. At the same time, the book still includes real historical settings, which I thought was clever. Even though everything is exaggerated and funny, you still get a sense of what life might have been like in those time periods. It’s like learning without realising you’re learning, which is definitely better than a normal lesson.

The characters are also a strong part of the story. Angus feels quite realistic because he doesn’t suddenly become brave or confident-he’s often confused, a bit annoyed, and just trying to figure things out. That made him easier to relate to. Marge is probably the most memorable character because she’s so unusual but acts like everything is completely normal, which adds to the humour. The villain, Emperor Kragg, brings a more serious side to the story. His plan to destroy the planet adds tension, so it’s not just a series of random time-travel events-it actually feels like there’s something important at stake.

The writing style is simple but effective. It’s easy to read and doesn’t feel too complicated, which makes it suitable for a wide range of readers. It almost feels like someone is telling you the story rather than writing it, which kept me engaged. The mix of action, humour, and quick pacing meant I didn’t get bored at any point.  If I had to criticise the book, I would say that it can feel a bit chaotic in places because so much happens so quickly. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of everything, but that’s also part of what makes it exciting. It matches the whole idea of time travel being unpredictable and slightly out of control.

Overall, I think The Kid Who Fell Through Time is a really enjoyable and original book. It manages to make history funny, interesting, and actually worth paying attention to, which is not easy to do. I would recommend it to people my age, especially if they think they don’t like history or reading, because it might change their mind (or at least make them laugh a bit more than they expected). What makes this book stand out even more to me is how it turns something that is usually quite boring into something I actually found entertaining. It almost feels like history has been rewritten in a way that makes more sense for people my age. Instead of just learning facts, you’re thrown into situations where things go wrong, people panic, and nothing really goes to plan-which is probably more realistic than most textbooks anyway. In the end, I didn’t just finish this book-I actually remembered it, which is probably the biggest compliment I can give.