The Lots-of-Time Machine is a graphic novel for children, that contains an important issue about families and spending time together. Fifi the raccoon wants to play with members of her family, but they are all too busy to spend time with her. She comes up with an idea to create "The Lots-of-Time Machine" to get her family to do things together. Although she has to take something they need to lure them to her machine, once there, they spend time having fun and laughing together. The message here is how important it is to children to spend time together. We model to our children what is important and what is more important to developing relationships than doing things together. We enjoyed this book, especially the illustrations. My middle granddaughter was able to read this simple story out loud to her brother and me. I recommend this to all families, to help them remember what is important.

What a sweet story. As a mom of a toddler who craves my attention constantly, I love the message of this book. Make time for the ones you love! Yea, life can get busy, but kids need our love. I loved the illustrations. I think this would be a sweet story to read in elementary to discuss theme.

This story was very sweet. And I laughed out loud when I read, "well, boogers and bunions"... I think children will laugh too!

‘The Lots-of-Time Machine’ by Paulette Bogan is an enchanting children's book that creatively explores the concept of family time and imagination. With a delightful plot and charming characters, this book is sure to capture the hearts of young readers and provide a fun, educational experience.

Plot: ★★★★☆
The plot of ‘The Lots-of-Time Machine’ is both adorable and relatable for children. It follows the imaginative adventures of the main characters as they travel through time using their homemade time machine. The story is filled with whimsical scenarios that spark curiosity and creativity, making it a delightful read that children will love.

Character: ★★★★☆
The characters in this book are incredibly adorable and well-crafted. Their playful and curious nature is something that children can easily relate to. Each character brings their own unique charm to the story, making them memorable and endearing to readers. The interactions between the characters are heartwarming and add depth to the narrative.

Illustrations: ★★★★★
The illustrations in ‘The Lots-of-Time Machine’ are stunning. They are vibrant and full of life, perfectly complementing the whimsical nature of the story. Each page is a visual delight, with detailed artwork that brings the characters and their adventures to life. The illustrations are a major highlight of the book, enhancing the overall reading experience.

Engagement: ★★★★★
This book is highly engaging, keeping children hooked from start to finish. The imaginative plot and vibrant illustrations work together to captivate young readers. The sense of adventure and the fun scenarios presented in the story encourage children to use their own imaginations, making it an interactive and enjoyable read.

Readability: ★★★★☆
The readability of ‘The Lots-of-Time Machine’ is fantastic. The language is simple and easy to understand, making it accessible to young readers. The text flows smoothly, which makes it a great choice for read-aloud sessions. The pacing is well-balanced, ensuring that children remain interested throughout the story.

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆
This is a very enjoyable read that children are sure to love. The combination of a cute plot, adorable characters, and stunning illustrations makes it a book that young readers will want to revisit time and again. It offers both entertainment and educational value, making it a valuable addition to any child's library.

‘The Lots-of-Time Machine’ by Paulette Bogan is a delightful children's book that beautifully blends imagination, adventure, and education. With its charming plot, lovable characters, and captivating illustrations, it is sure to become a favourite among young readers. This engaging and enjoyable story is perfect for sparking curiosity and creativity in children, making it a must-have for any young reader's collection.

The Lots-of-Time Machine is a sweet story about Fifi and how she acts when her family is too busy to play with her. The illustrations are colorful, and the story is a sweet reminder to spend quality time with children.

I received an ERC from Two Lions via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lots-of-Time Machine is a super cute picture book following Fifi, a young raccoon, who desperately wants to play with her busy family. I loved the way she got her family's attention and the fact that they incorporated Fifi into their busy activities instead of just putting them aside.

This is a great book for kiddos who don't understand why every second isn't play time. Thanks to NetGalley, Paulette Bogan, and Two Lions for the chance to read and review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fifi is 5 stars
The illusrations are 5 stars (those gestures, mannerisms and expressions, wonderfully done)
The theme 5 stars
The story - I wish it were longer but, the idea of being engaged in the moment together is awesome.

“Welcome to my LOTS-OF-TIME MACHINE! It costs ten minutes to enter. Step right in.”

As Fifi the raccoon knows, playing by yourself is not as fun as playing with other people. Unfortunately for her, Momma, Daddy, and Peapaw are very busy at the moment. They express their love, but they tell her they do not have time to play. Then, Fifi’s dog, Felix, inspires an idea: the Lots-of-Time Machine. After sneakily stealing some objects from right under her family’s noses, Fifi and Felix assemble the machine. Fifi sends Felix to gather the family, and she explains how the machine works: You step inside the contraption, thereby dedicating ten minutes of time to having fun within. This presents the raccoon family with an inviting opportunity for bonding. Alas, the machine might not be as stable as Fifi had thought. Does this mean the end of family time?

The Lots-of-Time Machine sounds like it would be some sort of futuristic machine built by Phineas and Ferb to slow down time. The one Fifi builds is more imaginative, powered with the magic of a child’s imagination. In building her elaborate fort using a creative combination of house materials, Fifi finds a way to play by herself (and with Felix, who is there to play with the whole time) while her family is busy. I would have liked for this to have been emphasized in The Lots-of-Time Machine. Family time is an absolutely essential thing to set aside time for, but every family also has to find a balance between work and play. Because Fifi’s family rejects her other activity ideas, the story also subtly suggests that adults do not want to spend time with their kids because their kids have not done anything interesting enough to garner their attention. It held more of a meaningful message for parents than for kids, encouraging adults to take at least ten minutes out of their day to play with their children. While the illustrations are clearly done by a very capable artist, they did not stand out to me as particularly noteworthy, especially in comparison to Bogan’s charming work in Owen & Virgil.

A decent enough concept, but one lacking a certain oomph to get it over the finish line and therefore higher grades. Here, Fifi wants to have the undivided attention of at least one family member, as is probably allowed for many a young girl raccoon. But only the dog seems to want to join in with anything – everyone else is "busy, busy, busy" all the time. So Fifi comes up with the contraption of the title – something that slows people down, zens them out (if there's such a thing) and gets them to focus on things she finds attractive, like colouring in and playing Game of Life and watching the teddy bear have a tea party. Until someone else is too busy busy busy for this to be a success, that is…

This, then, is an advert for simpler pleasures, and sharing company, and losing track of the daily grind for something more family-oriented at times. But it comes with the inherent lack of realism – us adults can do a sudoku or clean the bathroom, and not both; those cakes won't make themselves and then who will claim to be hungry? So some will see the unworkable moral here a touch less than fully welcome. Apart from that, things are thoroughly reasonable – no greater than that, as the speech bubble-only text provides just enough narrative, the artwork proves to have just enough character and vim, and the tiny touches of colour like eyebrows give just enough to bring this together as a cleverly-presented family. If there were proof for all young readers that lots-of-time machines do not provide the adult with oodles of leisure, this could have been a sterling winner. As it is, three and a half stars show this has no lack of diverting power for one silly little read, at least.

I liked this story up to the part of Fifi having the dog take all the items and forcing her family to spend time with her. I really think it would have been better if one by one they finished the chores and spent time with her or if the she and the dog spent time together. I just dont like the message it sent to children that you can force people to stop what they are doing when you want them. Life unfortunately is not like that and things need to get done. I will say though the illustrations were cute and colorful.

This book was delightful! It was about Fifi a raccoon who wanted to spend time with her family, but everyone was too busy busy busy! This book will teach kids that sometimes adults are busy, but they will always make time to be with them! The pictures were very well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Two Lions, New York, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s digital copy (ARC) of “The Lots-of-Time Machine” by Paulette Bogan, with a publication date of July 2, 2024. “The Lots-of-Time Machine” tells the story of Fifi, a raccoon who wants to find a way to get her family together to play. Fifi and her dog, Felix, come up with an ingenious idea. The story is cute and emphasizes the importance of making time for others.  I loved the illustrations, too.

3⭐️

I think I would have enjoyed this one better if it was centered around independent play and then everyone join her. Instead the little raccoon is disappointed everyone and uses the dog to collect each family members items they need. Forcing them full stop, look for it and play with her. For my kids I just didn't think it had the message for them.

Step inside the lots-of-time machine, where everyone has lots of time to play—and love to share.

This is a picture book intended for young readers about Fifi the raccoon trying to fulfill an idea to bring her family closer. The story was adorable and very entertaining, I loved the family dynamics in this. I also well loved how well the message with not everything going as planned was portrayed. Sometimes we come up with ideas that unfortunately fail, I think it was executed so well in this story.

This story was so clever and I loved how meaningful it was, I would highly recommend reading this/adding it to your child’s library!

🦝 🕰️ 🦝 🕰️ 🦝 🕰️ 🦝 🕰️ 🦝 🕰️ 🦝 🕰️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!

This was a cute and entertaining read. The illustrations are bright and cheerful and the language simple and effective. I can see my kindred asking for 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗧𝗦-𝗢𝗙-𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗘 to be read over and over again.

I love this book! It's clever with a wonderful message about finding time to be together. The idea of a lots-of-time machine where family comes together is ingenious--and one that parents, grandparents, and children can borrow for their own homes. I also loved the illustrations. They are absolutely hilarious!

I liked the story of this picture book. As A mom, I struggle sometimes with spending enough time with my 2 year old daughter when I'm already working 40 hours a week and I'm tired by the time I get home and still have to do chores at home. I do try to make as much time as possible for her though and this book puts that into perspective. I can always involve her in what I'm doing so that way she feels like she's helping and also spending time with her mama. Though I wasn't too much of a fan of the illustrations, it was still a very cute book.

I found it very hard to rate children's books so everything is a 5 star read for me!!
I really loved this book, the illustrations are so beautiful and captivating that I found myself smiling through every page I read.
The story itself is very beautiful and inspiring <3

I think that this is a cute story. I love the idea of the little girl creating something to give her time with the people she wants to play with. I do understand that children need that but this story just fell flat for me.

A fun read about making time to have fun with your kids. Bright and colourful illustrations, liked the effort to change traditional gender roles regarding house chores. A fast-paced, lovely read.