Jodie Broom: The Book of the Rose by Julie Hodgson is a children's futuristic fantasy story set in an era where time travel is the only means of real exploration and adventure. Even this is banned, along with being outside after dark and many fun pursuits, as everything is considered too risky - unless it is just a virtual, computer generated experience. Jodie, from 2075, loves books (also banned) and uses her library travel card to visit past eras to collect them. It’s a distraction from the fact that her parents are injured and in comas. With her friends Kai and Pacman, she goes on an exciting adventure to find the Book of the Rose for Uncle Otso. A gypsy woman promises to help Jodie’s parents. She gives Jodie a mysterious key. Jodie promises to return an important favor for the gypsy woman, and so their travels take them from a Victorian Fairground, to the Great Exhibition, from Kilimanjaro to Portugal. A mysterious faceless woman who appears in each place and time zone turns out to be connected to the key and the special book. Jodie discovers that, having passed the ‘pure in heart’ test, a special honor has been bestowed upon her.

Jodie Broom: The Book of the Rose is an entertaining and very well written story which I really enjoyed. In addition, it has a lovely message about friendship, compassion and love. This the author conveys through her tale of Jodie’s journey of adventure, mystery and discovery. I love the reading/book theme where Jodie believes that books are powerful tools for good – powerful as they communicate, spread knowledge and change thoughts. And the comfort Jodie always finds around books. Hodgson’s characters are delightful and well-defined - Jodie is someone readers will definitely warm to with her sense of adventure and desire to help others. An imaginative story that moves along at a good pace, and readers will enjoy the idea of time travelling, the quest to find a special book, and the touch of mystery, potential danger and suspense included in the plot. This is also a story with a message about the value of finding knowledge and understanding through the written word, and the truth about those things that matter the most in life – family, freedom, compassion, and love. A recommended read.

Jodie Broom: The Book of the Rose by Julie Hodgson is an exciting fantasy story which revolves around Jodie, who has some enthralling adventures with the help of her time-traveling library card. Jodie loves all types of books; short books, long books, funny books, scary books, comics, classics and anything that is a book. Her entertaining adventures give her a mix of thrills and heartache, and find her in different situations with different people; be it Kai or Otso or Ms Noble. As the story progresses, readers realize that she has to get that important book which can give her answers to what she is looking for. That takes Jodie on a trip all over the world; all over again. Everyone loves adventure and Jodie's adventure is unique and one of a kind, and it will make readers envious.

I enjoyed the concept of time travel which is very refreshing and original. It's a must-read for all those who love books and Jodie's adventures are definitely interesting. The author's imagination takes readers through the fascinating world of Jodie and her escapades. The narration is descriptive and all the characters are memorable; they captivate readers with their quirky behavior and funny side. Every scene in the story captures the spirited and adorable main character of Jodie. The kind of adventures Jodie has will make readers want to get into her shoes, get the time-traveling library card, and travel to different places.