Time Traveling with a Hamster

A parent might reach for this book when their child is beginning to ask the difficult 'what if' questions that follow the loss of a loved one. It is a perfect choice for the pre-teen who is curious about science and logic but is also navigating the heavy, quiet emotions of grief. The story follows Al Chaudhury, a twelve-year-old boy who receives a letter from his deceased father containing instructions on how to travel back to 1984 to prevent a fatal accident. While the premise is rooted in science fiction, the heart of the book is a deeply moving exploration of the bond between a father and son. It manages to balance high-stakes time travel and a dash of humor (provided by a very important hamster) with a realistic look at how we process the desire to change the past. For children ages 9 to 13, it offers a safe space to explore themes of acceptance and the realization that while we cannot change what has happened, we can choose how we live in the present.