The Time Museum

In a time-bending series opener that mixes adventure, goofiness, and whimsy, Loux (SideScrollers) introduces Delia Bean, a science-minded loner whose family is spending the summer at her uncle’s estate. After arriving, Delia unexpectedly finds herself competing for an internship at the Time Museum—run by her Uncle Lyndon—which disregards the rules of time and space and features artifacts from across the planet’s existence. As she meets and trains with her fellow competitors, who include a girl from 23rd-century Japan and boys from prehistoric and Roman eras, Delia and her new friends realize that despite centuries of difference, they have much in common. However, these friendships become increasingly strained as they enter the final trials of the competition while having mysterious run-ins with a time traveler known as the Grey Earl. Loux uses vibrant colors and airy linework to sustain a sense of adventure, and his character sketches clearly communicate his protagonists’ emotions. Though the tale is action-packed and entertaining as Delia and friends zip across millennia, the characters’ personalities aren’t all fully developed. Even so, there’s plenty here to keep readers looking forward to future volumes. Ages 10–14. (Feb.)