Mirah's review: "Informational but unrealistic at the same time. Time travel and fun adventure in one book. Time is relative but you can not travel through it backwards. Mice can not talk." ( )

Sumptuously illustrated with pencil and watercolor, this is the tale of a mouse who has missed the cheese festival for which he has been desperately waiting - and decides he must find a way to turn back time. His journey takes him to a clockmaker, and then to the patent office where Einstein worked. The little mouse uses Einstein's notes, stashed in the attic, to create a time machine in the body of an alarm clock, but he overshoots and travels too far into the past: to 1905. The mouse meets young Einstein, and leaves him a series of riddles to solve, nudging along his theories of time, and getting the help he needs to transport himself back to the future - just in time for the cheese festival.

See also: Brian Selznick

"Time is something that constantly flows in the same direction. Clocks and calendars only help to show us the passing of time." ( )

This was my introduction to the author and his series of illustrated children's books featuring inquisitive mice who have scientific adventures. What drew me to this one was the charmingly detailed illustrations and the concept of a mouse traveling back in time (through a time machine he crafts himself!) to get help from Albert Einstein. I think any child from third grade and up would love this beautiful book - either to read with a parent or on their own. It's a great introduction to Einstein and his theories of relativity and concepts of time. I was pleased to read the short biography at the end of the book and the additional descriptions of Einstein's theories, written in understandable language. It's just the sort of thing that will encourage children to pursue exploring these topics in more depth. Imaginative and inspiring, this oversized book would make a lovely gift. ( )