Time Stoppers

Gr 4–6—Annie Nobody and Jamie Alexander are two miserable preteens. Annie is an orphan, and Jamie's grandma is a troll—and not the kind that leaves mean comments on the Internet. Jamie's grandma is a real, honest-to-goodness chicken-eating troll, and as Jamie nears his 13th birthday, she has been eyeing him hungrily. If he doesn't turn into a troll himself, he can look forward to becoming the next meal. The lives of this downtrodden duo take a sudden turn for the better when they are whisked off to a tiny, magical village that had been previously cloaked but became vulnerable when the enchanted garden gnome was kidnapped by Jamie's grandmother. Within the welcoming borders of Aurora, Annie discovers that she is a Time Stopper. In Aurora, she is wanted and valued. Meanwhile, Jamie discovers love, friendship, and the courage to face his evil grandmother and father. This delightful story is the foundation of what is likely to be a series featuring these two likable characters. The narrator, Casey Turner, delivers a pitch-perfect performance alternating seamlessly among multiple adult and child characters.