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May 15, 2023

‘World’s Worst Time Machine’ is inventive story from Dustin Brady

Time is ticking on the deadline for Liam Chapman’s homework, but that’s just the

Time is ticking on the deadline for Liam Chapman's homework, but that's just the way he likes it. In "The World's Worst Time Machine," a middle-grade novel by Dustin Brady of Cleveland, Liam is used to cutting it close, making a game out of getting on the bus just as the doors are slamming.

Liam has an essay on Thomas Edison due, but he's distracted by a sign about a garage sale of his late neighbor, a "mad scientist." Liam isn't able to get to the sale until after school, when he expects most of the good stuff will be gone, and all that's left is a cardboard carton full of miscellaneous electronic junk. He's stunned when he sees the words "World's Worst Time Machine" written on the box.

Liam gets the box down to his basement and finds that it includes a manual for reassembling the parts. Liam isn't good at reading manuals. When he's finished, he conjures up a troublesome boy from 1933. Worse, the machine zaps his parents, leaving him and his friend Elsa to try to recover them. Either Elsa has read the manual, or she knows a lot more than she's saying — a lot more.

Liam, Elsa and Tommy Twinkles from 1933 set off on a trip through time, trying to reset the Chaos Meter and learning the curative power of Cheetos. They encounter figures from history, running afoul of the gangster Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, who favored pulling his heists in Northeast Ohio.

"World's Worst" is an inventive story with some comedy and moderate scares.

"The World's Worst Time Machine" (192 pages, softcover) costs $9 from Andrews McMeel Publishing, a division of Simon and Schuster, and is recommended for readers aged 7 to 11. The illustrations are by California artist Dave Bardin. Dustin Brady also is the author of the "Escape from a Video Game" series.

What could a dog possibly do on the moon? A lot, according to "The Pup on the Moon," a storybook by Akron resident Alexis Thomas.

The dog, a Boston terrier whose name is Bodhi-McRay (according to the dedication, Bodhi is the name of Thomas’ real dog), has a schedule to follow. In rhyming phrases, Thomas describes Bodhi's routine, beginning with Monday when he chills out and eats snacks.

On Tuesday, Bodhi plays fetch with the Man in the Moon; on later days, he plays with his friends, dances and chills out some more. The final scenes show a family looking up at the moon and giving advice to follow Bodhi's example.

"The Pup on the Moon" (softcover, 24 pages) costs $9 from online retailers. The cute illustrations are by Namibian artist Tamar Blaauw.

"Wicked Cleveland" by University of Akron alumna Jane Ann Turzillo has won first-place honors in the Nonfiction History or Biography category by the National Federation of Press Women, with winners of the national competition announced in June.

"Sweet in Tooth and Claw" by former Cleveland resident Kristin Ohlson has taken first place in the Cover Design: Nonfiction, and third in the Nature & Environment category of the Benjamin Franklin Awards, presented annually by the Independent Book Publishers Association.

Cleveland native Daniel Stashower has been nominated for an Anthony Award in the Best Critical/Nonfiction category for "American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America's Jack the Ripper." The awards, presented by Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, will be presented in September. Stashower has been previously nominated twice in this category and won in 2008 for "Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters."

Fireside Books (29 N. Franklin St., Chagrin Falls): Jillian Scacchi signs "Fearless: Having the Courage to Stand Face-To-Face with Your Fear," about her teen pregnancy and adoption choice, 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights): Jamie Capuzza signs "The Fifth Star: Ohio's Fight for Women's Right to Vote," 3 p.m. Sunday.

Wadsworth Public Library (132 Broad St.): Akron native Connor Beeman reads from and signs the poetry collection "concrete, rust, marrow," 7 p.m. Monday.

Dover Public Library (525 N. Walnut St.): Kathleen Horn talks about her historical novels "The Everlasting Kind" and "The Abiding Kind," beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday and followed by a program about the McCook House Museum in Carrollton. Register at doverlibrary.org.

Hudson Library & Historical Society (96 Library St.): Richard Munson talks about "Tech to Table: 25 Innovators Reimagining Food," 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. In a virtual event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Philip Shackelford talks about "Rise of the Mavericks: The U.S. Air Force Security and the Cold War, 1948-1979. Register at hudsonlibrary.org.

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library (University Heights branch, 13866 Cedar Road, University Heights): In observation of Dementia Friendly Week, Anne Basting ("Creative Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Dementia") and Susan McFadden ("Dementia-Friendly Communities: Why We Need Them and How We Can Create Them," 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Chagrin Falls branch, 100 E. Orange St.): Mark Dawidziak discusses "A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe," 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Also from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Amy Hill Hearth discusses her historical thriller "Silent Came the Monster" in a virtual event. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Parma-Snow branch, 2121 Snow Road): Humorist Dave Barry discusses his novel "Swamp Story," 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. The $30 ticket includes a copy of the book. From 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Christopher Paolini ("Eragon") talks about his science fiction thriller "Fractal Noise." The $30 ticket includes a copy of the book, VIP seating and priority in the signing line. Advance notice for events sure to be popular: Jack Carr ("Only the Dead") will appear in a ticketed event May 22; Ann Napolitano ("Hello Beautiful") in a ticketed event June 5; and former FBI Director James Comey ("Central Park West: A Crime Novel,") June 6. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Wayne County Public Library (220 W. Liberty St., Wooster): Shelley Shepard Gray, whose books include several Amish-themed series, will speak, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Register at wcpl.info.

B-Side (2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights): Hilary Plum launches her poetry collection "Excisions," reading with Isaiah Hunt, Jordan Stempleman, Anna Moschovakis and Paul Killebrew, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

Carlisle Reservation (12882 Diagonal Road, LaGrange): Clarence Bechter signs "The Time of My Life with Bubba's Pampered Pedalers 2019: 3000 Miles San Diego California to St. Augustine, Florida," 7 p.m. Thursday.

Learned Owl Book Shop (204 N. Main St., Hudson): Gary Beckley signs "Oh! Susannah," the story of his ancestor during the Civil War, 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library: Canadian author Courtney Summers, whose "Sadie" won the 2019 Edgar Award in the Best Young Adult category, joins the Online Author Talk Series to talk about "I’m the Girl," 2 p.m. Saturday. Register at smfpl.org.

Visible Voice Books (2258 Professor Ave., Cleveland): The Firelands Author Showcase features Wendy Fedan, Patrick Lawrence O’Keeffe ("Cold Air Return"), Emilia Rosa ("Finding Cristina"), Tonya Sullivan ("The Reunion") and Jim Bollenbacher ("The Signers: The Story of the Cushman Family Chronicles"), 4 p.m. Saturday.

Email information about books of local interest, and event notices at least two weeks in advance to [email protected] and [email protected]. Barbara McIntyre tweets at @BarbaraMcI.

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