Cartboy and the Time Capsule

Campbell’s first children’s book is structured as the yearlong journal of sixth-grader Hal Rifkind, written for inclusion in a class time capsule. Chapters focus on transportation, clothing, sports, and other topics, allowing Hal to riff on the travails of his daily life, including sharing a bedroom with his baby sisters, worrying about passing history class, and facing the upcoming school dance. The episodic format allows little narrative tension to build (Hal’s assumed betrayal by his best friend is the only real source of drama), and the attempts at humor often miss the mark. The book aims for a Wimpy Kid–style format: each chapter ends with a lighthearted timeline charting human advancements in food, communication, and such, but the photos, clip art, and cat heads that dot the text feel stuck in and superfluous (although the deadpan jokes in the photo captions are often funnier than those in the story itself). Hal addresses his journal entries to readers in the distant future, but even those in the present may struggle to connect with him. Ages 8–12. Agent: Laura Dail, Laura Dail Literary Agency. (Apr.)