Brandon and the Totally Troublesome Time Machine

At first, inventing and using a time machine is all fun and games for Brandon. The pale-skinned, red-haired child heads back in time (“He saw the Colossus of Rhodes. And Alexander Hamilton”), then re-lives some big personal moments, including his birth. But things go awry fast when Brandon decides to fox his way out of studying and chores by creating a much-put-upon future Brandon to do his work. Cheeky, scribbly lined portraits by Fearing (the Frights from Feral series) show a plethora of once-and-future Brandons—with a few historical figures thrown in—engaged in an “ALL-OUT WAR.” Eventually, the protagonist has a twofold revelation. First, “the thing about fighting your past and your future is that you can’t possibly ever win against yourself,” writes Fishman (Bad Drawer) with comic sageness. Second, “building a time machine took effort and smarts”—qualities that suggest Brandon isn’t “lazy OR bad at homework.” It’s a silly time-travel comedy about shirking responsibility, with Alexander Hamilton cast as a great foil. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit Associates. Illustrator’s agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary. (Oct.)