The Secret Time Machine and the Gherkin Switcheroo

A parent might reach for this book when their imaginative child needs a story that celebrates weird, wonderful, and outside-the-box thinking. It's a perfect antidote to creative slumps or an excess of overly serious stories. This book follows Lucy, a brilliant and quirky young inventor who builds a time machine. When her best friend and pet, a gherkin named T-leaf, is accidentally sent back in time, Lucy must invent another machine to rescue him. It's a hilarious and charmingly absurd story about creativity, problem-solving, and the unique bond between a girl and her pickle. Ideal for newly independent readers, its blend of short chapters, simple text, and engaging illustrations makes it a joyous, low-pressure read that will have the whole family laughing.