Been on your phone or computer a bit too much? So has young Andy Wagner. Totally focused on his phone he falls into a raging river.

Fortunately he is saved, but Andy’s parents have had enough of his obsession. They enroll him in Camp Digi-Detox, a several weeks long, overnight program that supposedly will change his attitude toward constant use of technology.

Upon his arrival at the camp he meets others in his same predicament. Roommate Felix is a tech genius. Trish was vying to be the next great online face who influences the masses. Finally there is Dora who is a whiz at puzzles and sees connections quicker than anyone. They are all miserable since their tech devices have been locked away while they are at camp.

They each must now spend 12 hours a day transcribing hand written documents into a data base. Boredom and exhaustion soon set in. To make things better they hope to recover their valuable phones. That is if they can find where the lady in charge has hidden them.

What they uncover instead is a conspiracy. This camp is a hoax of sorts with the owner more intent on changing the past. A buried ship, valuable artifacts, and life threatening results face the group.

Cracking Time is told in multiple viewpoints with chapters rotating among the 4 kids and the owner of the property. It’s a great way to reveal this intriguing plot through the different characters.

There are many surprises along the way which you can happily discover on your own. The final third of the book will have you flipping the pages to find out what eventually happens. There’s a touch of fantasy and some heart stopping scenes. All will appeal to middle grade readers, especially those in the 10-13 age group.

Cracking Time is the first book in The Uncrackables mystery-adventure series.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: November 11, 2025 PAGES: 301

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: CRACKING TIME by David Meyer

1. Andy has that kid like way of acting before thinking, but his bravery was a positive and memorable character trait.
2. I love a mystery where you are constantly trying to decide what is going on. You get more than enough challenges figuring this one out.
3. Young readers will like the fact that parents were not a major part of the plot. They are kept in the background for most of the story.
4. The totally believable way these kids use their technology smarts to outwit the adults.
5. Going back in time to change the future would be a nice debate topic for adults and middle grade readers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Meyer is an author, marble-maze builder, sock puppet aficionado, wannabe cartoonist, a creator of some things and breaker of others, a yogi and martial artist, and the owner of the reddest hair you’ve ever seen.

He’s a man of few apps, but many books. Creatively, he prefers to work in circles, following “the pull” rather than pushing. He’s tried—and abandoned—nearly every productivity tool known to man. He likes new ideas, old stories, and the big picture. He dislikes small talk, busyness, and infinite scrolling.

He’s married to the wife of his youth, who knows his worst, yet loves him best. He’s also father to what just happens to be his two favorite children of all time.

(For more about David and his Creations visit his Website)

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BE SURE TO VISIT ALL THE OTHER BLOGGERS ON TODAY’S MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY!