…which is why I wanted to write about twins who travel back in time and each witness historical events from opposite sides.
There are six books in the series, which cover British history from the Stone Age to the Great Exhibition in 1851.
The books are packed with fabulous drawings by Garry Parsons, and include maps and historical notes.
The Stone Age Clash
Thomas and Scarlett travel thousands of years back in time to two different eras: firstly they meet a Neanderthal; then they witness the building of Stonehenge.
The Roman Invasion
While Scarlett meets Emperor Claudius and his daughter, Thomas joins a band of rebels, who are led by a girl named Boudicca.
The Viking Attack
Scarlett arrives in an Anglo-Saxon village and meets a boy named Alfred; meanwhile Thomas is on a Viking longboat, heading towards the shore…
The Maya Sacrifice
Thomas arrives in a village in the jungle, where soldiers are gathering men and boys to work as labourers. Meanwhile, Scarlett befriends the king’s daughter. This book contains chocolate, human sacrifice, and the Maya ball game.
The Tudor Execution
Thomas travels to the Tower of London, meets Queen Mary, and befriends the royal executioner. Meanwhile Scarlett joins the family of Thomas Wyatt, who is due to executed today…
The Victorian Revolution
On 1 May 1851, Scarlett attends the first day of the Great Exhibition in London with Princess Victoria, the daughter of Queen Victoria. Meanwhile Thomas befriends the daughter of Karl Marx, who is celebrating her birthday.
Reviews
“This is one of the best evocations of Viking times I’ve read, all the characters live and breathe on the page, and readers really will feel they’ve been back in time too.” LoveReading4Kids
“Packed with facts about life in the ninth century, this story is exciting and informative.” BookTrust
“A brilliant resource for an ancient civilisations topic, and closes with an extended historical note.” CLPE
“An exciting adventure… giving children a real feel for what it must have been like to live in 859 AD. Josh Lacey has avoided making fun of the history and instead made it real and exciting.” Books for Keeps
“The fact that they are twins and always end up in a slightly different area allows for a lot more historical knowledge to come across… This is a good book for Years 3 and 4 upwards as it is easily accessible in terms of short chapters, lots of action and illustrations but is full of learning about history.” Primary School teacher’s five star review, NetGalley
“‘”Read it! Imagine it! And, KS2 teachers, use it to bring your history lessons to life.” ReadingZone 5-star review
“An interesting and captivating read that combines story and history in a delightful way… Curriculum links: Old Stone Age (Palaeolithic), New Stone Age (Neolithic), friendship, bravery, kindness, family, teamwork.” Reading Zone review
“I loved reading this and learnt a lot. The author has added extra information and lots of facts at the end which made this a brilliant way to find out all about the time. I really like the characters in it and the time machine is cool.” Tony, aged 10, Toppsta 5 star review
Why I wrote the Time Travel Twins
I wrote this piece for CLPE which explains why I started writing the Time Travel Twins, and what I am hoping to achieve with the series.
Teaching notes
My publishers Andersen Press have produced some amazing – and free – teaching notes connected to The Maya Sacrifice, full of information and ideas. Click on this link to download them:
https://www.andersenpress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-Maya-Sacrifice-Teaching-Notes.pdf