The Rhythm of Time

Grammy winner Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson makes his middle grade debut in this fun, series opening adventure where two best friends travel back in time, inadvertently rewriting the future.Not allowed to have a cell phone or laptop by his tech-minimalist parents, thirteen-year-old Rahim relies on his best friend and tech-genius, Kasia, for help with his homework and most importantly, to record and post his rap songs online. A master inventor, Kasia loves devising new gadgets and testing them on, ahem, sharing them with, Rahim. Her latest surprise-a cell phone she's built from scratch complete with a kinetic battery and a not-so-legal cell signal from government satellites.When Rahim uses it the two quickly learn this cell phone is not like others, and as its first beta-testing user, Rahim is encountering some sizable glitches-namely time travel. Ecstatic at the chance to do something he's only dreamed of, Rahim uses the phone to see his favorite hip-hop group live before they broke up in the late 90s, only to find himself stuck in the past. With Kasia as his only lifeline to the present, they'll have to work together to find a way to bring Rahim home without destroying their timeline and dodging bullies and suspicious government officials along the way.It's about to get messy, but if there is anything Rahim is good at, it's finding the right beat to get out of trouble.