School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Delia Bean loves science and history and excels at school, but when summer vacation begins, she's bored. When Uncle Lyndon invites Delia's family to visit him, she discovers that he's a curator at the Earth Time Museum, where the planet's greatest wonders are displayed. The museum is growing, and more and more employees are needed to time travel in search of exhibits. Uncle Lyndon offers Delia a chance to compete for an internship. Going up against young people from all of human history, Delia attempts to prove she's got what it takes to be an intern, all the while realizing that she's a natural born leader. The Bean Team, as she and her fellow travelers come to be known, must work together, but they learn the hard way that not all time travelers can be trusted. The narrative shares some elements with superhero comics: the members of the Bean Team all have interesting origin stories, and there's quite a bit of training and competing, but there's a good balance among action, character development, and theme. The pencil and ink illustrations with digital coloring call to mind television programming aimed at this audience, as does the pacing. The cliff-hanger ending is sure to leave middle graders anxious for the next volume in this new series. VERDICT A fun, fresh offering for the middle grade crowd. Hand it to fans of Jorge Aguirre's "The Chronicles of Claudette" or Ben Hatke's "Zita the Spacegirl."-Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a time-bending series opener that mixes adventure, goofiness, and whimsy, Loux (SideScrollers) introduces Delia Bean, a science-minded loner whose family is spending the summer at her uncle's estate. After arriving, Delia unexpectedly finds herself competing for an internship at the Time Museum-run by her Uncle Lyndon-which disregards the rules of time and space and features artifacts from across the planet's existence. As she meets and trains with her fellow competitors, who include a girl from 23rd-century Japan and boys from prehistoric and Roman eras, Delia and her new friends realize that despite centuries of difference, they have much in common. However, these friendships become increasingly strained as they enter the final trials of the competition while having mysterious run-ins with a time traveler known as the Grey Earl. Loux uses vibrant colors and airy linework to sustain a sense of adventure, and his character sketches clearly communicate his protagonists' emotions. Though the tale is action-packed and entertaining as Delia and friends zip across millennia, the characters' personalities aren't all fully developed. Even so, there's plenty here to keep readers looking forward to future volumes. Ages 10-14. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Delia knows the kiwi bird she's following doesn't belong in New England, but when it leads her to a mysterious gate in the wilderness, suddenly the bird isn't the most unusual thing in her afternoon. Behind the gate is a miraculous museum that connects researchers to every place and every time. Not only is Delia's beloved uncle its director, but she's been picked to try out for their intern program. Loux's loopy, swooping full-color artwork adds a bold, cartoonish flair to the time-travel tale, and as the group of six kids, all aspiring interns, learn how to work together on various missions to several time periods, he throws in plenty of comical visual references to bygone eras, such as the gym teacher who's always dressed in a suit of armor. Charming Delia is a relatable protagonist with believable triumphs and falters, and her ultimate transformation into an able leader is cheer worthy. Comical antics, cinematic pacing, heartwarming friendship, and a fast-moving, wacky plot should make this a real hit among middle-grade fans of adventure comics.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2017 Booklist
