Lewis & Number One audio review
'Lewis & Number One' by Antony J Stowers and Adam Sykes is a children's book available as a spoken download audio CD and in printed book form. It tells the story of a young lad up in North East UK who goes on a fantastic adventure back in time, by the means of a time travel train to witness the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 in order to beat his arch-enemy the school swot Johnathon Primm with a better mark in a history project. This is a brilliant story which takes the young reader on a funny, entertaining, colourful, imaginative, heart-warming and fascinating journey into events that changed the world forever. Lewis is the central young character in the book and No1 is the name often given to Locomotion No1, the world famous steam engine built by George Stephenson. We visit historical sites as they appear today, examine ecology and climate change issues in the world, untangle theories of time travel and learn how Stephenson and Pease pushed engineering beyond all imagination, propelling themselves into world history books and rocketing Britain and the world into the Industrial Revolution in 1825. There isn't a country on the planet that doesn't have a railway and they all lead back here to the S&D. Lewis and a time-travelling futuristic family from 2525 travel back in time, by means of a Time Travel Booking Agency (how else?) along with an ambitious news reporter to ride along. This is a great vehicle for teaching young people about historical characters, engineering, the politics, economics and human endeavour. We don't feel we're being given a history lesson because the humour, humanity and colour of Tony's writing carries us along. I laughed at times and had a lump in my throat at others. As someone involved heavily in the last few years in S&D heritage I thoroughly recommend it as an entertaining read but also a great start for young minds to set them on their way to learning more. Stephenson wrote in his diary at the time of the opening 'What we do today shall change the world forever'. He was a visionary but how was he to know that ten year old Lewis Lovatt would inadvertently travel back from our modern world to meet him? Go buy it. 10 out of 10. - Jay Tee, award-winning film maker.
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Lewis & Number One audio review
Lewis and Number One. By Antony J Stowers
The world's first steam locomotive operated public railway opened between Stockton and Darlington in 1825. This tale is set 200 years later as local schoolboy Lewis Noble ponders an assignment on this historic event. In addition to looking back, the reader is projected fast forward to get a glimpse of what transportation systems might look like in 2525. Indeed, with the help of time travel from this future era, Lewis is inadvertently transported back to Stockton in 1825 where he's able to witness the proceedings first hand. This is a delightful, feel good novel, reminiscent at times of the charming Mr Benn. To this extent, a story primarily aimed at a younger readership will also appeal to a wider audience. The aspect of travelling through the different time dimensions injects an element of fun to an important landmark in industrial history, whilst also serving as an educational tool. Those already blessed with a fair railway knowledge may even learn something new. I certainly did. Highly recommended. - Jessi Adams, Eastfield |
