This past spring, I told you about Stuart Tennemeier and his Exploration Mystery Unbelievable (EMU) Club. Back then, Stuart had just repelled an alien invasion from his backyard with the help of his sister, Violet, and his best friend, Brian (the one who plays didgeridoo).
I loved Alien Invasion in My Backyard because it did a tremendous job of capturing youthful imagination and creativity. So I was really excited when the book’s author, Ruben Bolling, told me he had another EMU Club adventure out. Ghostly Thief of Time once again stacks Stuart, Violet, and Brian against a seemingly unsolvable mystery: Why is it that time seems to pass so slowly in final period social studies?
On the surface, it’s a question that can be applied to other situations and to other ages, too. For instance, why does time move so slowly when you’ve just picked up a Fallout 4 and you have three more projects to finish up before you can go play? But I digress.
Anyway, Stuart thinks that, more than any other class, the time ticks by more slowly during his final period of school. But why? It’s a mystery that is ripe for EMU exploration! And like any good EMU Adventure, there’s a whole lot more to this one than meets the eye. Without ruining the story, the plot involves a shifty janitor with plans for destruction, a Tesla ionizer, a GHOST DETECTOR™, a Dustbuster, and maybe just a little jaunt through time. But not to worry, the EMU Club is on the case and all will be right before dinnertime!
It’s refreshing to read a second book that’s every bit as good as the first. The EMU Club adventures are funny and enjoyable and do an admirable job of putting the reader in Stuart’s shoes. All the fear and wonder and curiosity of a child are on display on these pages and it’s not too tough to imagine an EMU Club in your own backyard.
Bolling is an accomplished cartoonist and, while his narrative is perfectly suited for the 7-10 set, each book has been peppered with subtle jokes and asides that make the reading fun for grown-ups too. Plus, the books are full of twists and turns, making it difficult to see where the plot is going until you’re already there. The end result is a humorous and compelling page turner that all ages will enjoy.
Ghostly Thief of Time is available in bookstores now.
(For an explanation of this post’s title, see the pages in the image, below.)
Disclosure: GeekDad received a sample of this book for review purposes.
