Gr 3-5-Joe, Sam, and Fred find themselves ``absolutely naked'' at the outset of this prehistoric adventure. While fans of the previous three books won't be surprised at this somewhat outrageous beginning, it's sure to catch the attention of first-timers. Scieszka's humorous, zippy dialogue and word play, combined with Stone Age icons (a saber-toothed cat; a woolly mammoth; cave paintings; and an interesting and hilarious collection of cavemen, women, and girls), are sure to appeal to readers. References to classic time-travel books-Edward Eager's Half Magic, Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, and H.G.Wells's The Time Machine- are bound to spur many readers on to other new adventures. This fast-paced, fun story is perfectly matched by Smith's wacky black-and-white illustrations. Another great book from the dynamic duo!-Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID

Sam, Joe, and Fred, the Time Warp Trio who made their first appearances in Knights of the Kitchen Table (1991) and the Not So Jolly Roger (1991), travel back to the Stone Age and are immediately in trouble. First of all, they don't have The Book that enables them to travel in time, and second of all, they're naked. Sam, with a large leaf and a piece of vine, invents clothes--just in time for them to be discovered by cavegirls. Sam, Joe, and Fred escape (they think) the hostile women, take refuge with men hiding from a saber-toothed tiger, flee a woolly mammoth, and save the day with some simple physics involving a fulcrum and a lever. Scieszka's text is funny and fast, always clever and never cute (OK, naming the cavegirls Nat-Li, Lin-Say, and Jos-Feen is cute, but that's the only part), and Smith's pen-and-ink drawings add a rollicking, somewhat riotous air to the proceedings. This is the kind of book that kids tell one another to read--a surefire hit to the funny bone, whether read alone or aloud. (Reviewed Oct. 1, 1993)

Time Warp Trio. Stuck in 40,000 b.c. without their clothes, their magic book, or most of the modern gadgets they had intended to impress cave people with, Fred, Sam, and Joe fall from one scrape into another while maintaining their offbeat sense of humor. Smith's characteristically humorous illustrations and the cartoonlike action, set at a zippy pace, will encourage reluctant readers.