It has been 28 years since the first book (RUNNING OUT OF TIME) was released and became a hit with middle grade audiences. Margaret Peterson Haddix had never intended to write a sequel, as she notes in her “Acknowledgements” piece, but readers kept asking for one.

She’s finally delivered with a page turning story full of plot twists. Twelve-year-old Zola lives with her Mom in the year 2193 where everything is perfect. There’s no climate change, crime, or any other problem. It’s just perfect. Or is it?

Zola discovers she’s related to Jessie from the first book and a dark reality begins to set in and maybe it isn’t 2193 after all. The third person narration flows quickly across 47 chapters and an epilogue.

This adventurous mystery has so many unexpected turns, I don’t dare ruin anyone’s reading experience by revealing them. You can dive right into Falling out of Time, without having read the first book, though it will be hard to resist not to visit that first classic.

FALLING OUT OF TIME is a fantastic delayed sequel that will appeal to middle grade audiences both young and old. A great summertime addition to your reading pile.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: FALLING OUT OF TIME by Margaret Peterson Haddix

1. Chapters more than often end with an eye-opening reveal. It urges you to read just one more page. A great writing technique to engage readers.
2. The proposed overwhelming use of technology in the future is a perfect ground for debate in a classroom or at home.
3. Puck, a boy Zola gains as a new friend, was a great character. He’s kind but also vocal and willing to disagree with other’s decisions. What happens to him brought a smile to my face.
4. World building is essential to a novel of this type, and you will feel like it really is the future…at least until it isn’t.
5. The mysterious cover and the author’s comments in the back pages- a nice connection as to why she finally wrote the sequel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/journalism, English/creative writing and history. Before her first book was published, she worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois.

She has since written more than 40 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Double Identity; Uprising; The Always War; the Greystone Secrets series; the Shadow Children series; the Missing series; the Children of Exile series; the Under Their Skin duology; and The Palace Chronicles. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series.  Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and numerous state reader’s choice awards. They have also been translated into more than twenty different languages.

Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio. They are the parents of two grown kids.

(For more visit her author web page)

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