The Time Fetch

Mythology collides with adventure in adult author Herrick’s children’s book debut, which has echoes of The Dark Is Rising and A Wrinkle in Time. When eighth-grader Edward picks up what he thinks is a rock for science class, he accidentally disturbs a Time Fetch, little knowing it’s full of time-eating foragers. Soon, he and three classmates—athletic Danton, painfully shy Brigit, and abrasive Feenix—are pulled into a quest to prevent the out-of-control foragers from destroying everything. The interference of a trio of witches and the presence of the sinister Unraveler make matters even more complicated while this unlikely quartet works together as time and space collapse all around them. Despite clever use of both metaphysics and folklore and an interesting mix of personalities among the main characters, the story never fully gels. Evocative imagery as the world ends only serves to cover up a storyline in which very little seems to happen. Herrick shows great potential, but this adventure is a bit like a dream: hard to remember once it’s over. Ages 10–up. Agent: Edite Kroll, Edite Kroll Literary Agency. (Aug.)