“History is booooooring”

This series by Steve Sheinkin has its moments. They might not be for the adult reader, but the child reader (about ages 7 to 9) will get a kick out of our heroes Abby and Doc time-traveling through history.

In history class, Abby and Doc are reading about Abraham Lincoln. But something is not right. All he is doing is sitting, reading the newspaper, playing handball in the alley near his home and where is that famous beard? How did this happen? Historical figures have become tired of hearing, “History is booooooring” from the students, so they decided to show them how boring history could be.

Our heroes have broken history in the first Time Twisters Abraham Lincoln, Pro Wrestler, but they are kind enough to try and fix it, too. They do what they can to help Mr. Lincoln (not always with the desired result) but they do, in the end, make sure Honest Abe (who by the way, was never fond of that moniker) gets to the White House on time and does not become a pro-wrestler. But, as mentioned above, other historical figures now know that they do not have to “stick to the historical script” and can do what they wish. Like Abbigail Adams could become a pirate on the high seas or something….

Not so spoiler-spoiler alert: that happens. Therefore, in book two they must help Abigail Adams in Abigail Adams, Pirate of the Caribbean. Never tell a “sassy” lady what she can and cannot do! Or remember her only for the fact that she hung laundry up in the front room of the unfinished White House. Along with Abby and Doc we learn about Mrs. Adams, women’s rights, female pirates (excuse me Gentlemen of Fortune), how said gentlemen were not as nice as the movies make them, and the rules and duties of said gentlemen. As well as going on a good-old-fashioned raiding of a merchant ship.

Throughout the stories there are facts mentioned about the historical figure in need of Abby’s and Docs help. They debunk a few myths, give you information you might not have known and at the end of each book Sheinkin adds more comments and facts to help fill out the holes of a fictionized story.

If you are into history or time traveling your adventures await. If you have a reluctant reader, the contemporary language and format should grab their attention. However, I will stick with Mr. Sheinkin’s purer non-fiction to his historical-fiction. That style is more pleasant to my personal tastes. However, I am glad I did not stop with Lincoln and went onto Adams as she is not a figure most people write about for this age group.

In June of 2019 books three and four will be available. Take off with Neil Armstrong and Nat Love, Space Cowboys and fly off with Amelia Earhart and the Flying Chariot. Here space cowboys and real cowboys switch things up and Amelia and a gal named Kyniska show what women can really do!