Staff Picks
by Rob Reger
Emily Strange is a self-educating homeschooler with a penchant for science. When her mom decides to add family history to the syllabus, a great adventure begins. Emily time-travels back to the 1790's in a quest to stop the death of one of her great aunts. She has to accomplish this without knowing what killed her and without changing history. Emily documents life in her journal. Reger’s illustrations of Emily’s diary are a unique blend of writing, drawings, lists and notes. Reger uses the colors red, black and white to mirror Emily’s personality. The different fonts and colors emphasize the fun Emily seems to have. The crossed-out ideas, lists, and mistakes mimic Emily’s thought processes. Each page engages both avid and reluctant readers. The glossy pages, size, and weight of the book give the reader a sense of peeking into a real diary. Dark Times is a fast-paced story that blends the supernatural, mystery, historical, and science fiction, and throws in some great cats, too.
Denise Leeson
Youth Services Specialist
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