The Lost Track of Time

by Paige Britt Narrated by Jennifer Jiles

Overview

Penelope is running out of time!



She dreams of being a writer, but how can she pursue her passion when her strict, obsessive mother schedules every minute of her life? And how will she ever prove that writing is worthwhile if her mother keeps telling her to "get busy!" and "be more productive"?



Then one day, Penelope discovers a hole in her schedule-an entire day completely unplanned!-and she mysteriously falls into it. What follows is a mesmerizing journey through the Realm of Possibility where Penelope sets out to find and free the Great Moodler, the one person who may have the answers she seeks. But a menacing shadow tracks Penelope's every move. With darkness on her heels, she must face an army of Clockworkers, battle the evil Chronos, take a daring Flight of Fancy, rescue her friend, Dill, and free herself from the grip of time.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

★ 01/05/2015
Penelope escapes from her organized mother’s stringent schedule through a portal that sends her tumbling into the Realm of Possibility, where idle time has been forbidden. To get home, Penelope must track down the fairy godmother–like Great Moodler, rescue her new friend Dill from life as a repetitive Clockworker, and free the realm from the hypnotic rule of the overlord Chronos. In the tradition of L. Frank Baum, Britt crafts a whimsical world, complemented by White’s (I Lived on Butterfly Hill) playful violet watercolors and a vibrant cast. Her spirited use of puns, homonyms, and clever time-related wordplay make the story a standout: worry warts are a real and harrowing affliction, the “Shadow of Doubt” literally looms large, and the trees in the “Naughty Woulds” whisper what ifs to prey on travelers’ self-doubts. Debut author Britt’s tale is an exuberant homage to the power of imagination and creative problem-solving, as well as the importance of making time for oneself, one’s dreams, and one’s friends. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Marietta Zacker, Nancy Gallt Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management. (Mar.)

From the Publisher

* "Debut author Britt’s tale is an exuberant homage to the power of imagination and creative problem-solving, as well as the importance of making time for oneself, one’s dreams, and one’s friends." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

School Library Journal

02/01/2015
Gr 4–6—Penelope never has enough time. At least, not enough to do what she wants. Her mother has her scheduled every minute of every day, even over her summer vacation. She hopes to pursue her dream of becoming a writer and is just coming to the realization that her parents will never understand her desire to tell stories when she's suddenly faced with a whole day, accidentally unscheduled. Running to her eccentric neighbor, Miss Maddie, Penelope suddenly finds herself in the Realm of Possibilities, a place where kids can moodle (imagine and dream) as much as they want and where those Ideas, Fancies, and even Worries appear in the world as actual things. Well, at least they used to when the Great Moodler was in charge. Penelope soon learns from her new friend Dill that those things have been outlawed and that the terrible Chronos has turned everyone into Clockworkers, whose lives are tied to the sound of the great ticking timepiece in the center of the gray, paved city that is taking over the Realm of Possibilities. Penelope and Dill set off to find the Great Moodler, with the help of some mushrooms and a Coo-Coo bird. The book makes clever use of wordplay, such as in a scene in which Penelope and Dill happen upon a Wild Bore, who turns out to be a very nice man who bores listeners to death with excessive talking. Muted purple illustrations are sprinkled throughout and match the imaginative and mercurial quality of the text. Unfortunately, the plot seems a bit too forced and didactic, particularly in attempting to teach Penelope, and thus readers, about the dangers of being overscheduled. VERDICT An additional purchase; good for collections looking for titles that emphasize the importance of imagination and free time.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

SEPTEMBER 2015 - AudioFile

One minute Penelope is trapped in a strict daily schedule recited by her mother each morning in a chipper voice; the next she falls through her itinerary into the Realm of Possibility, where the overlord, Chronos, has forbidden idle time. There she encounters many colorful characters whom narrator Jennifer Jiles voices with exuberant whimsy. Penelope and her new friend, Dill, set off to find the Great Moodler, the only one who can defeat Chronos. Jiles gives the Wild Bores a monotone stream of words with which to bore visitors to death. Dill’s enthusiasm for the infinite uses of mushrooms is hysterical. Especially memorable is Jiles’s portrayal of the Cuckoo Bird, whose dialogue is peppered with cuckoo sounds. M.F.T. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2014-12-22
An overscheduled girl falls into a hole in her schedule in Britt's whimsical debut. Young Penelope longs to be a writer and loves spending time daydreaming with her mostly idle neighbor, Miss Maddie. Her mother, however, packs every moment of Penelope's day with work and meaningful activity: There's no time to relax, let alone imagine anything. Then one day, like Alice falling down the rabbit hole or Dorothy being whisked into the land of Oz, Penelope disappears into a magical land, where the Great Moodler, architect of fantasy and creativity, has vanished and the whole world runs by clockwork according to the dictates of archenemy Chronos. With new friend Dill, Penelope embarks on a quest to free the Moodler and liberate the Realm of Possibility. It's all written in over-the-top, pun-heavy prose (Penelope explores the Naughty Woulds and engages in combat with the Wild Bore) that recalls that classic allegorical journey, The Phantom Tollbooth, among other adventures. Most pages are embellished by White's purple ink cartoons; Britt writes smoothly and seems wholly at one with her material. Not as masterful as Juster's genre-defining work but enjoyable on many levels. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171290719
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	03/31/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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