Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A time traveling tale with two genius siblings who have to evade the grips of the T.I.M.E. syndicate after accidentally altering the present by a seemingly small mishap while traveling to the past. This was a fast-paced adventure and all of the events Pearl and Patrick found themselves in were fun and interesting. I am interested to see where the series goes in the next book.

Who knew that the author of House of Hollow would do such a good job at writing a wholesome middle grade time traveling romp?

Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop is Krystal Sutherland’s first project with new co-author (and husband!) Martin Seneviratne, and hearing that she was writing a middle grade novel piqued my interest. As an adult reader, I generally don’t read below upper YA, but sometimes your inner child yearns to return to the misery that was middle school.

When I review childrens’ books, the primary question I have in the back of my mind is: would I recommend this to my childhood self?

The answer for Time Lions is a resounding yes. Full to the brim with heart, adventure, and self-discovery, Time Lions could be described Indiana Jones meets Spy Kids meets Horrible Histories. However, it’s also more than an amalgamation.

Focusing on genius twins Pearl and Patrick who find themselves swept into inter-dimensional politics when Pearl builds a time machine, Time Lions is as much about the twins learning how to live in the present as it is about them exploring the past. It’s about them getting in touch with their heritage, managing to be an accessible criticism of whitewashed (and male-washed) history that’s perfect for younger readers to digest.

I know that 12-year-old me would have immediately connected to Pearl. Heck, even adult me found herself resonating with her feelings of insecurity, frustration, and pride. Knowing that children of today (especially South Asian children) have characters like Pearl and Patrick to see themselves in is a balm for my soul, and I’m excited to see what this writing duo drums up for the sequel.