Publisher Description

Feeling the effects of the Covid pandemic, Jenni's and her two friends slip through time with the help of a Tree Spirit. Welcomed into a Neolithic family, they join a midwinter journey for celebrations at the newly finished Stonehenge. While there they discover that they aren't the only mysterious strangers. Jenni feels uncomfortable around these bronze wielding newcomers. Warned of an impending threat by the intriguing Earth Spirit, Jenni manages to secrete a special herb that might prove to be a lifeline for her Stone Age friends. To show their gratitude for this and the discovery that one of them is the re-incarnation of Jenni's special friend from her past visits, the family arrange for a special ceremony at the stone circle. As a result, Jenni finally reconciles a deep and painful longing from her early childhood and learns to accept a situation in her 21st century life that she resented. Linking with characters from previous books, secrets are discovered and a new understanding of the connections between the builders of the stone circles and the magical realm of Earth Spirits is created. The third in the series of Pam C. Golden's unique time slip adventures continues to be inspired by her love of the Earth, her fascination with nature spirits, stone circles and ancient ways of life.

Review

As the pandemic abates and Jenni wrestles with her conflicted feelings about her mum's new relationship, she is irrevocably drawn to her old friend the Spirit of the Tree and an urge to return to the past. Together with her friends, Jonti and Ciara, Jenni travels back in time where she befriends a clan who welcome them into their iri. But the way of life presents them with a steep learning curve and the children must embark on a testing adventure fraught with danger and mystery. Who is Wysdulia? Why is Ebrar so nasty? What is the significance of the stones? And what has happened to Jenni's loyal friends from the past? Stone In Time is Pam Golden's third mystical, magical time slip story which cleverly and sensitively interweaves geological evidence and archaeological research to recreate everyday life in Neolithic Britain. It is a wonderful blend of fantasy and fact. I look forward to reading the next in the series. Jane Clack Author and Educator
Even today, when I'm forty years old, I still enjoy a good middle grade adventure novel. In many ways, it harks back to the time when I enjoyed Enid Blyton's Secret Seven books; they were a fantastic way of escaping the bullying going on in my school. So I happily settled down with Stones in Time - although, thankfully, this time I wasn't doing it to keep away from the school bully! And, I must say, it's a very enjoyable story. It's the third book of the set, and follows Jenni who, this time, ends up in Neolithic England at the site of Stonehenge. Jenni, along with two other children, end up exploring an almost unknown time in history where they get to meet the villagers, celebrate Midwinter, and try to solve a mystery or two - who are the pale-faced strangers and what is the significance of the mist?There were a number of elements to this novel which I particularly enjoyed. Firstly, there's a lot of history in here which I think 9 - 12 year olds will find interesting. Secondly, although the historical setting is interesting, the author keeps it where it should be - in the background, cleverly keeping the focus on the plot and the development of her three protagonists. Thirdly, it's never boring! And that's SO important when writing for children.So, if you happen to be on the hunt for a cleverly plotted, time travelling adventure for, say, a 11 year old, you can't go too wrong with Stones in Time. But keep in mind it's the third book in the Tree Spirits in Time set so, although you could read this as a standalone, why not check out A Tree in Time and Mist in Time first? I suspect they are just as good!The Wishing Shelf Awards (awarded 5 stars)

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