Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar (October 2017.) Ages 9-12
This is a book unlike any I’ve read before. It’s a bit steampunk, a bit adventure, a bit historical, a bit futuristic…it’s many different things all rolled into one. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous; it reminded me a lot of The Invention of Hugo Cabret because the pictures are such a vital part of the story. It’s the first book in a new series, and I predict that it’s going to be a popular one in our library.
Goodreads Description:
The world did not end. At least not permanently.
The Time Collision came from beyond the stars, a cosmic event that fractured time and space, tearing apart the earth and reshaping it into something entirely new.
This is the world Diego Ribera was born into. The past, present, and future coexisting together.
Timeless.
In New Chicago, Diego’s middle school hallways buzz with kids from all eras of history and from cultures all over the world. The pieces do not always fit together neatly, but this is the world he loves. There are those, however, who do not share his affection.
On his thirteenth birthday, Diego learns of a special gift he has within, a secret that is part of something much bigger—something he cannot understand. When his father, New Chicago’s top engineer, is taken by the Aeternum, Diego must rescue him and prevent this evil group from disrupting the fragile peace humanity has forged.