RANGER IN TIME03 LONG ROAD TO FREEDOM

Ranger is such an appealing hero, especially since he doesn't know he is one. As a dog, all he knows is that when his time traveling first aid kit hums, its time to go help someone. Messner has created an appealing historical fiction series that draws kids in with it's time traveling dog as the main character. Students at my school really like this series. This series along with Lauren Tarshis's I Survived series are encouraging students to read historical fiction who would otherwise never pick it up because history is 'boring'. But in this volume of the series, history is definitely not boring as Ranger sets off to help a young slave girl and her brother escape servitude. There is plenty of excitement as Sarah and her brother try to work their way north to Philadelphia only to discover that Pennsylvania may not be far enough. Along the way Ranger helps them avoid wolves and slave catchers. The book contains plenty of excitement and tension while still conveying the drive for freedom that lead so many to accept the risks involved. The book is child appropriate while still showing the value of freedom. As always, Messner includes end notes that explain where she got her facts and which parts of the story are real. I love reading these notes and hearing about the research that Messner does to make her stories feel so real. A great series for young dog or history lovers that I hope will continue for a while.

This is a great book, from a great series. My grandson loves it!

My 8 year old LOVES these books! There's a cliffhanger in every chapter which keeps her excited to keep reading.

This series is a godsend! My son wasn't interested in reading. No matter how hard his teachers and I tried to motivate him, he would not read.A friend recommended this series, so we gave it a try. ... He not only enjoys reading the books, but wants to share what he is learning from them.I recently found some book club discussion questions online to help him develop critical reading skills in order to prepare for writing book reports. He asked for more of these "quizzes" for the other books in the series!Thanks to Kate Messner, I have anew avid reader in my house!

I cannot speak myself for how great these books are, but... my son, absolutely LOVES.... and I...MEAN...LOVES this book series. He will read one of the Ranger in Time books in one day. Sometimes two days, depending on the day. Ranger in Time has really given him a love for reading that I have wanted to see for such a long time. He is 11. I highly recomend these books. He has loved every one of the books that he has read this far and is reading Ranger books on a daily basis.