Nimmo, Jenny. Charlie Bone and the Time Twister. Orchard Books, 2003. ISBN 043949687x. $9.95. 402 pp. Reviewer: Emily Fry Reading Level: Intermediate, Young adult Rating: Excellent Genre: Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction; Subject: Schools--Juvenile fiction; Magic--Juvenile fiction; Bone, Charlie (Fictitious character)--Juvenile fiction; Books-Reviews; Charlie Bone is back for his second semester at Bloor's Academy and this semester has Charlie meeting his great-great-uncle, Henry Yewbeam. Henry was twisted through time from 1916 to Charlie's present day by his evil cousin Ezekiel Bloor. Ezekiel will do anything to finish off Henry once and for all and so it is up to Charlie and his friends (Olivia, Tancred, Lysander, Gabriel, Emma, Fidelio, and Benjamin) to keep Henry from becoming victim again to Ezekiel. This latest installation to the Children of the Red King series is much better than the first as Jenny Nimmo slowly reveals dark secrets and lets the characters shine. Charlie Bone and the Time Twister has the Red King taking a larger role in the action and the reader is coming to know more about him just as Charlie is learning more about him. The action is quick and the reader has to be careful while reading or he/she will miss important details. Obviously, there are still parts that Nimmo does not fully explain and the reader is left wanting to know more, especially when it comes to Skarpo the Sorcerer. Harry Potter fans will enjoy this series while waiting for the sixth Harry Potter book to be published.
