The Time Skippers and the Lost Ruby
A Middle Grade Time-Travel Adventure
by Maya Dank, PhD
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Middle Grade (Ages 8-12)
- Time-Travel Adventure
- Historical Fiction
The Book
A homemade time machine. A lost royal ruby. A prophecy that could change the course of history forever.
Thirteen-year-old Libby is used to her zany grandmother, physicist Professor Evelyn Zamenhof, and her crazy antics. But when Libby receives a mysterious letter, she learns that Evelyn is in trouble. Lots of trouble. After inventing the Chronorocket 1.1, a compact time machine handcrafted from a thermos, Evelyn has been kidnapped by a mysterious group demanding Edward the Black Prince’s long-lost ruby, believed to be the key to Britain’s political power. To save her, Libby and her art historian mother, Milly, must travel back in time and retrieve the gem.
With only a cryptic prophecy to guide them, Libby and Milly skip through time to medieval France, from the Siege of Calais to the Battle of Agincourt, dodging battlefields, solving riddles, and escaping angry mobs hunting for witches. But as they race through time, their mother-daughter bond is put to the test. Libby is determined to prove to her overprotective mom that she is tougher than she looks. Can they save Evelyn and the course of history without getting on each other’s nerves?
Why This Book Matters
The Time Skippers and the Lost Ruby gives middle grade readers what they love most, fast-paced adventure, humor, and clever puzzles, while weaving in real history: the Hundred Years’ War, the Black Prince, Henry V, and the Battle of Agincourt. Its time travel rests on real physics concepts rather than magic, and its vivid, well-researched picture of the Middle Ages makes it as appealing to parents, teachers, and librarians as it is to young readers.
At its heart is a smart, brave heroine who speaks several languages, solves riddles, and uses her smartphone to survive medieval dangers, a running thread that delivers both tension and comedy. Alongside the adventure runs a warm, relatable story of a mother and daughter learning to trust each other.
The story grew out of history role-playing games the author created to teach gifted children, and it shows: the book is built around puzzles and a satisfying time-loop mystery. The Chronorocket and its established time-travel rules also give the book clear series potential.
About the Book
Genre: Middle Grade (Ages 8–12) / Time-Travel Adventure / Historical Fiction
Published Title | 50,000 Words
For readers of Percy Jackson, The Secret Lake, and A Wrinkle in Time, The Time Skippers and the Lost Ruby is a fast-paced time-travel adventure through medieval France, packed with real history, riddles, and family heart.
Author
Maya Dank, PhD
Maya Dank is an author and the Chief Science Officer of a social sciences research institute focusing on social mobility, health, and education. She holds a PhD in psycholinguistics and has won several awards for her research.
The Time Skippers and the Lost Ruby is her third book, following a children’s book and a collection of short stories. The idea for the adventure came from a series of role-playing games she developed to teach history to gifted children. Built around the Hundred Years’ War, the games included battles, riddles, and mysteries, all of which found their way into Libby’s time-traveling adventure.
Maya brings the same curiosity and precision to her fiction that she applies to her research, weaving real history, smart puzzles, and heartfelt family dynamics into a story that keeps young readers turning pages.
Rights Status
Publishing Rights Available
Translation Rights Available
Film Rights Available
Audio Rights Available
Comparable Titles
This book is suitable for readers who enjoyed:
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
- The Secret Lake by Karen Inglis
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
BISAC Categories
- JUV064000 – JUVENILE FICTION / Time Travel
- JUV001000 – JUVENILE FICTION / Action & Adventure / General
- JUV016000 – JUVENILE FICTION / Historical / General
- JUV013000 – JUVENILE FICTION / Family / General
Themes
- Time Travel and Its Paradoxes
- Real History: The Hundred Years’ War
- Mother-Daughter Trust
- Courage and Growing Up
- Science, Curiosity, and Girls in STEM
- Puzzles, Riddles, and Prophecies
- Modern Technology in a Medieval World
- Family Loyalty Across Generations
Keywords
For readers interested in:
- Middle grade time-travel adventures
- Historical fiction for kids
- Medieval history, knights, and battles
- Smart, brave girl heroines
- Puzzle and mystery stories
- Science-based adventure
- Mother-daughter stories
- Books for classrooms and libraries
FAQ
What age group is this book for?
Middle grade readers, ages 8–12.
What historical periods does the book cover?
Medieval France during the Hundred Years’ War, including the Siege of Calais (1347), Bordeaux (1367), and the Battle of Agincourt (1415).
Is the time travel based on magic?
No. It is grounded in real physics concepts, which gives the adventure an educational, science-based angle.
What is the word count?
Approximately 50,000 words.
Is there series potential?
Yes. The time machine and the story’s established time-travel rules create a natural framework for future adventures.
Who will enjoy this book?
Young readers who love action, history, and smart heroines; fans of Rick Riordan and Karen Inglis; and parents, teachers, and librarians looking for books that spark interest in history and science.
Rights Agent's Notes
The Time Skippers and the Lost Ruby sits in one of the most reliable areas of children’s publishing: middle grade adventure with real educational value. Its combination of genuine history, science-based time travel, and a strong girl heroine appeals to young readers and to the parents, teachers, and librarians who choose books for them.
Early readers have responded enthusiastically. One reviewer called it “an absolute gem of an adventure” that adults won’t be able to resist either. With a complete 50,000-word manuscript and clear series potential, the book is well suited to children’s publishers looking for a new middle grade adventure, and especially to markets where history is a core part of the school curriculum.