Justin Thyme

JUSTIN THYME by Panama Oxridge
Category: Fantasy
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 9/1/06
Publisher: Interrobang
Reviewed by: Marta Morrison
Rating: 5 Stars

I absolutely loved Justin Thyme. It was a roller-coaster of a story. It had adventure, mystery, humor, and fantasy. I
especially loved the glossary and appendix which was at the end of the book. It had the definitions of the scientific words
which were used but also defined the college prep words and the Scottish words that are bewitching to us U.S. readers. As
a young reader I absolutely hated having to look up a word when I am in the midst of a good story. I was lucky and had a
mother who would tell me definitions but a lot of teachers and parents think it is better to have the reader look up the word.
Well, I wouldn't do that because then I would have to find the dictionary, look up the word, and hope that I would
understand the definition. When I have the glossary in the back of the book I am more likely to look up the word. I also
think it enables the writer to write better and not have to water down her/his story.

I also loved the play on words in the story. The main character is Justin Thyme: "just in time," get it!!! Ha Ha!!! His whole
family is a play on the word time. Robyn Thyme is his older sister, his baby brother is Albion Thyme, his mother is Henny
Thyme, his father is Willoughby Thyme, and his grandfather is Lyall Austin Thyme.

Justin's father is the Lord of Thyme Castle. He would be broke except that thirteen-year-old Justin invented an alarm
system for cell phones. Justin is a genius and he is also the family wage-earner. Also at the castle live Verity Kiss, the
nanny, Professor Gilbert, Justin's private tutor, Angus and Morag Gilliechattan, the married couple who are the gardener and
the housekeeper. Elisa the gorilla also lives with them and is a talking gorilla! She adds a lot of humor. The Gilliechattan's
also have a Shakespeare-loving parrot, and a cat with eight legs.

The story starts with Justin's thirteenth birthday. He receives a cool watch and can't figure out who gave it to him--but when
his mother gets kidnapped the fun starts. In a moment of pure inspiration he invents a time machine, which gets involved
with the kidnapping and the new hiring of castle staff. The non-studious Robyn and Justin start trying to solve the mystery
and what a roller-coaster ride this becomes.

This is the first of the four in THE TARTAN OF THYME book series. I am counting the thyme until book two comes out
because I loved this book so much. Also check out the web site. It is amazing!