Testimonials

Piccola’s character proved (once again) that it pays to listen to the girl in every group!

– Oprah Winfrey

потрясающе!

– Leo Tolstoy

OK, just fibbing.

But we’re really hoping to get your testimonial! So please leave us your honest review of the book on Amazon and we may include portions of it on this website. Thus far Time Sailors has garnered a clean slate of nearly seventy 5 Star reviews. Here are a few:

• EpicBookQuest.com – Get ready for an incredible adventure back in time! This fantastic book by authors Scott Abrams and Adam Blockton is refreshingly unique and will have young readers (and old ones too!) turning pages at the speed of light. Follow courageous young Guillermo and his rag-tag group of friends as they travel back in time battling pirates, hunting for treasure, and meeting a host of historic figures including Christopher Columbus and King Ferdinand. Full of unforgettable characters and an imaginative, fast-paced plot, this time-traveling adventure is the perfect summertime read for middle graders, and will leave you begging for a sequel (No really, please?). 5 stars all the way!

• BookLife – Time-traveling kids terrorize the 15th century after a mysterious ship catapults them back to 1497 in an adventure that plays fast and loose with history while taking advantage of the era’s rich tradition of exploration and discovery. Even though sixth-grader Guillermo Infante Jr. and his friends are suddenly facing real-life pirates and meeting famous explorers like Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, Guillermo just wants to get home to the small Sicilian town of Pizzolungo. When he acquires a treasure map, he sees an opportunity to dig up the riches and help solve his family’s financial woes. With the wind at his back and his friends at his side, Guillermo sails the Grande Infante across the deadly seas in search of fame and fortune, with surprises at every turn. First-time authors Abrams and Blockton craft an entertaining tale, full of colorful personalities, and if they take some liberties with historical representations and gloss over logistics (the modern protagonists have no trouble communicating with the people they meet in 1497, for instance), it’s all in good fun. Ages 7–12.

• B.K. Maxwell –  This novel is rated as Ace Detective – meaning it is a must read and I recommend that you add this book to your library. First, let me say that I did not expect or know what was in store for me when I began reading Time Sailors of Pizzolungo. If I wore hats, I would tip my hat to Scott Abrams and Adam Blockton; no let me tell the truth, I would toss it in the air as if it were graduation night. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The plot was well developed and yet simple enough for young children to follow and to keep the attention of an action-starved adult. The characters were well developed and the authors added a bit of history, a touch of mystery and ton of adventure. This book is up there with Peter Pan and The Wreck of the Zanzibar by Michael Morpurgo as far as adventure and scenery. I can go on and on about Time Sailors of Pizzolungo, and I can’t wait for the next episode. Oh yeah, – Scott and Adam please do not forget about me on premiere screening night when you guys are walking that red carpet.

• Crackling with fast-paced energy and a terrific sense of humor, Time Sailors of Pizzolungo grabs you on page one and doesn’t let go. Good old fashioned storytelling, packed with incident, but with a sharp eye for the dynamics of family and friendship into the bargain. Any child with the slightest interest in the romance of sail, history or maritime lore is bound to lap this up in spades. As an author myself I was skeptical that a book such as this could effectively be written by two people (too much like screenwriting) but I was delighted to be proved wrong. -SCOTT ALEXANDER YOUNG (New Zealand)

• Authors Scott Abrams and Adam Blockton weave a fantastic tale filled with adventure and historical references to pirates and explorers of the past. The tweens of Sicily(specifically Pizzolungo) are hurled into the past in a most delightful and captivating way. The boys and one girl combat the elements and much more in a coming of age story that is unique and new and yet seems classically familiar. I recommend this to boys and girls age 8 thru 14. It also works well as a read out-loud book. If you liked the novel “A Wrinkle In Time”, give “Time Sailors of Pizzolungo” a read. –LINDA SHAYNE (LA)

• The book is a fantastic read for children AND adults which is always a rare accomplishment. I felt like I was along for the ride with these six young adventurers, trying to solve the riddles, figure out where (and when) they were, and how to get back! Really brought the inner child out of me and now I can’t get him back in! Is it too soon to ask for a sequel? Very, very well done. -MATT HENDERSON ELLIS (USA).

• I’m not exactly in the target demographic for this book (I’m 32 years old), but I was very impressed with it overall. The plot and pacing are superb, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Guillermo and friends become so popular that a few sequels are called for, and perhaps even a big screen appearance. This book is the perfect gift for kids who enjoy a good adventure story. It will stoke their imaginations, and get them scouring maps and encyclopedias to learn more about distant lands and the history of exploration. –NIALL DOHERTY (Ireland)

• I really loved the book. It was a thoroughly engaging and interesting story, I was able to imagine the whole thing in my mind with colors, weather, scenery, smells and personalities. If I had kids I’d be very interested in them reading it; it’s much better than Harry Potter for instance. There’s a slight feeling of The Hollister’s. I like the food component. Including food as part of the adventure is great, it makes you want to eat pasta and go to the beach. -JAIME FARINOS (Palo Alto, California)

• A thoroughly original tale that my two daughters (ages 7 and 9) could not put down. Truth be told, neither could their father. One of those books that can be read on many levels. It was equally funny and suspenseful and we stayed up well into the night to gobble down the last 3 chapters, which were packed with twists and major surprises. Clever, clever ending. Deserves to be made into a movie.  –CHRIS LEAZER (St. Louis)

• Exciting, funny, unpredictable and well worth reading through to the end! I got totally caught up in this story! 🙂 It’s a very, very smart plot for a kids’ book. 🙂 As an adult reader I loved it too. From the moment the crew sets sail I was both captivated by the adventure (sometimes biting my nails) and laughing out loud at the humor. The revelation at the end is really exciting. It made me wonder if elements of the surprise ending are really true. Piccola is one smart cookie. The other characters are also very unique! All together they make a very special and funny group that you can only but cheer for from the beginning till the end! I definitely recommend this book to any reader, at any age! –MARZIA CONTE (Brussels)

• I loved this book for several reasons. The book has just the right pace, which triggers and feeds kids’ /the reader’s curiosity, keeping them all in suspense for long enough time, before moving to the next adventure. The language of the book is so vivid and rich, that one may think the authors were born and raised on a ship. The narrative of the story is so well crafted and for this I find the book very educational for children, and refreshing for adults. The story itself puts emphasis on the importance of creativity, and simultaneously on self-reliance and team work on problem solving. And finally, the authors have raised all our expectations for the second book, to which I truly look forward to. ILIRIANA KACHANIKU (Somerville, MD)

And many more… just check the product page on Amazon…