Sam Miracle is an orphan and a daydreamer d those daydreams often feel eerily real. His actual life at the Desert Destitute Youth Ranch is disappointing. Not only is Sam in foster care, he is burdened with a disability: his arms barely work. When he and his new friend Glory meet the mysterious Father Tiempo, they are both thrust into a new reality filled with stories, daydreams, and, most important, time travel. Sam discovers his dreams are illusions, and that there are people od and evil o can magically bend time. This adventure means leaving behind everything Sam knows, but he is sure he wants to be a "time walker" and discover the truth about his past, even as danger presses in. Wilson's novels are always a treat, and this first in a series is no exception, as it introduces a wide world of incredible magic. Buy for any collection and recommend it to middle-grade fantasy fanatics.

Gr 5-8 Sam Miracle has always been different. An orphan who lives in a group home, he often blanks out and finds himself in vivid dreams that seem almost real. Sam is also disabled; his arms were shattered in an accident he cannot remember, and though they are healed, they are immobile and painful at times. He soon discovers he is part of a small group of people who can walk through time and that he has lived the same life over and overdashing around time trying to live long enough to stop an evil outlaw who wants to end the world. Now the time of the final conflict approaches, and with the help of another foster kid, a girl named Glory, and his companion through time, Father Tiempo, Sam sets out to meet his destiny. There's tons of action and adventure in this book, most of which is set in the old West, but though Wilson tries, he does not successfully manage all the time threads. Younger readers will most likely be confused by the constant, intricate time line shifting as well as the small details of Sam's past adventures, which are revealed too slowly. Other major hindrances are the problematic elements of stereotypical wise Native American elders and Sam's disabled arms being cured through magic. VERDICT Though some action scenes are satisfying, overall this time-twisting tale takes too long to sort itself out. Recommended only in libraries where the author's previous works are very popular. Angie Manfredi, Los Alamos County Library System, NM