Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 1995)

Starred Review Who says that humor and science fiction don't mix? Peck pulls together threads from these and several other genres (problem novel, time travel fantasy, ghost story) to weave his own pattern of adventure and comic relief. Josh, a sixth grader at a private school in New York City, is barely coping with his parents' separation and the stream of unsuitable au pairs his mother hires. When his best friend, Aaron, merges two computers into a time machine, it seems an unwanted complication, but visitors from the past have an unexpected impact on the present--and possibly the future. Josh and Aaron endure the discomfort of molecular reorganization to experience the thrill of time travel, but the most memorable scenes occur when they bring people from the past into the present. Elements of the plot may intrigue those who wonder about the nature of time, but most readers will be happy reading this witty, fast-paced novel just to see what happens next. (Reviewed Oct. 15. 1995)

Horn Book

When Josh's brainy friend discovers how to zap people forward and backward in time, a visitor from the past acts as a deus ex machina to help Josh's family situation. Cursory explanations of the time travel will disappoint fantasy fans, and comic stereotypes of British characters may to some extent offend, but many readers will appreciate Peck's humorous comments, snappy dialogue, and fast-paced action.

Kirkus Reviews

Peck (The Last Safe Place on Earth, p. 230) forays into cyberspace for a fast-paced, fun-filled adventure that's virtually guaranteed. When not attending New York City's trendy Huckley School, Josh, 12, must endure the adolescent tantrums of sister Heather, the separation of his parents, and the return of his mother to the workplace. But life is really turned upside-down when his friend Aaron discovers how to transport them back through time via the school's computers. He also accidentally strands the plucky housemaid Phoebe from the early 20th century in the present. The explanation for time travel seems a bit questionable, but readers will be delighted when Josh fools his mother into believing Phoebe is just another ``au pair'' sent over from the employment agency. With just one plot thread still knottedunable to return to the past, Phoebe runs away in the present, thus creating a temporal paradox (she is also seen as an old woman)Peck again demonstrates his mastery at depicting realistic characters. Josh is a sympathetic, savvy narrator; Aaron brings new vitality to the archetype of the computer nerd; and with one ear constantly attached to a cordless phone, Heather is appropriately annoying. While the reconciliation between Josh's parents is too good to be true, most readers will welcome it as a fitting capper to this jaunty urban spree. (Fiction. 10+)"

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Two sixth graders create time-travel mayhem with a computer. In PW's words, """"This clever caper doesn't miss a beat."""" Ages 10-14. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7--Prep-school life in the '90s is confusing for sixth grader Josh as he tries to cope with his parents' separation, his obnoxious older sister, and a succession of wacky English ``O Pears'' hired to assuage his mother's guilt about returning to work. He doesn't need the troubles caused by his computer-nerd best friend, Aaron, who is trying to invent a way to travel in time. But ready or not, Josh finds himself briefly transported back to 1923, and a housemaid from that time appears in the present to reorganize his life for the better. Crammed with events and overwhelming (not to mention unconvincing) computer theory, this story of a boy coping with trying situations is amusing, but uneven. For better Peck dealing with a similar theme (without the trendy computer technology), stick with The Ghost Belonged to Me (Viking, 1975).--Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library