Time Travelling with a Hamster

The story revolves around Al Chaudhury, a boy whose father passed away four years prior. On his twelfth birthday, he is handed a letter written by his dad containing a wild revelation: a time machine sits hidden in their old house's cellar. To make things right, Al must travel back to the 1980s, navigate a world before modern tech, avoid changing the space-time continuum for the worse, and somehow pull it off with his pet hamster, Alan Shearer, by his side

Ross Welford was a prominent magazine journalist and television producer in London before transitioning into a full-time author. Time Travelling with a Hamster marks his critically acclaimed debut novel, establishing him as an exceptionally talented voice in middle-grade and children's fiction. His subsequent popular works include What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible and The Dog Who Saved the World

The book hooks readers with the iconic opening line: "My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty-nine and again four years later when he was twelve." Upon receiving his dad's letter, Al learns that a simple go-kart accident in 1984 caused his father's early medical complications later in life. Al sneaks into the old property to activate the machine. His mission forces him into increasingly chaotic situations—including minor thefts, telling lies, and accidentally setting his school on fire. Blending science fiction with emotional family ties, the story highlights that while altering time comes with high psychological costs, the enduring bonds of family and a little bit of courage can overcome the toughest odds