Sam Samurai (The Time Warp Trio) - Softcover

Between hightailing it down the Tokaido Road, eluding a hot-tempered samurai named Owattabutt, and trying to fix their malfunctioning Auto-Translator, the Time Warp Trio may never get out of 17th-century Japan alive. Especially with all those razor-sharp katanas poised and waiting to lop off their heads.

Joe, Sam, and Fred were working on a haiku homework assignment when they somehow triggered the mystical Book again, only to find themselves--thanks to some nearby books on Japan--summarily "flushed down four hundred years" and far from their native Brooklyn. And even if they can overcome the language barrier, our time-hopping pals will soon discover that they need to learn a thing or two about Japanese culture if they want to make it out alive. ("Our daimyo is Rudy Giuliani," while hilarious, isn't going to cut it.)

Jon Scieszka's traveling companions are in fine form, as ever, alongside the occasional illustration by Adam McCauley. Readers should love learning about ancient Japan with the boys, and Time Warp Trio fans in particular will get a kick out of the fact that a certain other trio--do you remember any great-grandaughters from the year 2095?--ends up saving the day. (Ages 8 to 11) --Paul Hughes

Multiple award-winning author Jon Scieszka grew up in Flint, Michigan, the second oldest and the nicest of six boys. Jon went to school at Culver Military Academy in Indiana where he was a Lieutenant; Albion College in Michigan where he studied to be a doctor; and Columbia University in New York, where he received an M.F.A. in fiction. He taught elementary school in New York for ten years in a variety of positions. He is the author of many books for children including the New York Times Best Illustrated Book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (illustrated by Lane Smith), the Caldecott Honor book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (illustrated by Lane Smith), and Math Curse (illustrated by Lane Smith).  In addition to his work as an author, Jon also runs a web-based literacy program called “Guys Read” that is designed to encourage boys, particularly reluctant readers, to get involved with books. In 2008, Jon was named the country’s first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, a joint effort of the Library of Congress and the Children’s Book Council. During his two-year role as Ambassador, he acted as a spokesperson for children’s literature, speaking to groups of parents, teachers, and children to encourage the importance of reading. You can visit Jon online at www.jsworldwide.com.