Hello. I'm Catherine Weller and this is The Open Book.

This week's selection is Gideon the Cutpurse byLlinda Buckley-Archer.

I have said that some of the best fantasy writing is found in young adult fiction. To whit: old favorites such as the Chronicles of Narnia and Philip Pullman's Golden Compass trilogy and more recent offerings from J. K. Rowling and Wtah's own extraordinary Shannon Hale. I am not the only one to observe this: if you're looking for a great story to transport you to another realm, head for the juvenile section of your local bookstore or library.

In fact, you should head straight for the B's. There you will find the excellent first novel of a projected trilogy, Gideon the Cutpurse by Linda Buckly-Archer. In it, two children, Kate Dyer and Peter Schock are thrown together during a holiday by their families. They've never met before and don't particularly like each other. They accompany Kate's father, a physicist, on a short trip to his laboratory. While exploring the lab, Kate's dog escapes. Kate and Peter chase her down a corridor running until everythings stops…….. And they awaken in a field.

It turns out that an experimental anti-gravity device has transported Peter and Kate to the past - 1763 to be exact. Their arrival was witnessed by two men: the reformed criminal Gideon and the sinister Tarman. Both men are understandably astounded by the arrival of Peter and Kate and their machine. While Gideon watches from a hiding place, the tar man rifles through Peter and Kate's belongings for valuables. He then loads up the anti-gravity machine and carts it off to London.

After a particularly wretched night, Gideon befriends the two kids and takes them to the home of his new mistress. From there he promises to help them get to London and track down the frightening Tarman. Along the way there are plenty of adventures with highwaymen, footpads, and the criminal justice system of the time, such as it was. There's also lots of wonderful period detail: think chamber pots, wormy food, and constricted clothing. There are also the consrticted manners and mores of the period. Meanwhile, back in the twenty-first century, the children's parents and police agonize over Kate and Peter's disappearance. Suspicions, recriminations and a conspiracy surface.

Buckley-Archer's characterization of Gideon is particularly effective and sympathetic. The reader grows to love him as Kate, and especially Peter do. Also wonderfully drawn is the broad cast of secondary characters, who help flesh out this rollicking time travel tale. And rollicking this book is: Gideon the Cutpurse moves so quickly you'll be sad it's over -and eager for the next book in Linda Buckley-Archer's series.

You've been listening to The Open Book on KCPW. I'm Catherine Weller.

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