Buckley-Archer, Linda. Gideon the cut-purse.

BUCKLEY-ARCHER, Linda. Gideon glut cutpurse. (The GideonTrilogy, book 1.) Simon & Schuster. 400p. c2006. 1-4169-1525-7.$17.95. J

Modern-day 12-year-olds Peter and Kate suddenly are transported to England in 1763, courtesy of an accident with Kate's father's anti-gravity machine, which also makes the trip. The Tar Man, a ruthless criminal, steals the machine, and Peter and Kate must accept the help of Gideon, a former thief himself, if they want to have any chance of returning to their own time. As the three travel from Derbyshire to London, encountering highwaymen and King George III, among other interesting characters, Peter and Kate learn all about 18th-century life, from foodstuffs like calf's head pie to the horrors of Newgate Prison. Meanwhile, back in the 21st century, their parents are frantically trying to locate them. The end of this first volume in a trilogy finds the Tar Man transported back to Peter's era--and Peter stranded in 1763. Readers will be eager for the sequel to this exciting time travel adventure, which features lots of danger, action, and humor as well as a carefully detailed evocation of life in another time. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.