The Time Travellers and the Watch of Ages
“The Time Travellers” is an engaging chapter book series designed specifically for readers aged 10-12 who are developing their reading confidence and expanding their vocabulary. This educational fiction follows twins Maya and Jack Thompson who discover their grandmother’s mysterious pocket watch that allows them to travel through time and witness historical events first-hand.
The series combines adventure and historical education, allowing children to experience history in an immersive way alongside relatable protagonists. Each chapter serves as both an exciting standalone adventure and part of a larger narrative that gradually reveals the mystery behind the twins’ grandmother and her time-traveling past.
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# Chapter 1 – The Time Travellers Watch
Maya Thompson was digging through her grandmother’s dusty attic when she found it.
“Jack! Come look at this!” she called to her twin brother, who was sorting through a box of old photos nearby.
Jack scrambled over, kicking up little clouds of dust from the wooden floor. “What’d you find?”
Maya held up a strange pocket watch. It wasn’t like any watch she’d ever seen. It had three faces instead of one, each with tiny dials and buttons around the edges. The metal was a warm, coppery colour that seemed to glow.
“Cool,” Jack said. “I bet it’s worth something.”
Maya pulled it away. “Not everything’s about money, Jack.”
“I just meant it looks special,” he replied. “And those hands… they’re weird. Look at the symbols!”
Maya brushed a thumb across the surface. It felt warm. Almost alive.
“Remember what Mum said about Grandma Rose?” she added. “That she travelled the world and kept secrets?”
Before Jack could reply, he noticed a small button on top. “Should we press it?”
Maya hesitated. “I don’t think—”
Click.
The watch began to spin. Lights flashed. Wind roared. The attic twisted into colour and noise.
Then — everything went still.
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Chapter 2 – Welcome to 1912
Maya and Jack landed hard on cobblestones.
They stood on a busy street, surrounded by people dressed in long coats and flat caps. Horse-drawn carts rattled by. Steam curled from chimneys. A salty breeze blew in from the sea.
The air smelled like coal smoke, bread, and horse manure.
“Jack,” Maya whispered, “this isn’t the attic.”
Jack spun around, wide-eyed. “This isn’t even our century.”
A boy ran past, waving newspapers. “Extra! Extra! Titanic departs tomorrow! The unsinkable ship begins her maiden voyage!”
Jack stared. “April 9th, 1912. We’re in Southampton. The day before the Titanic sets sail.”
Maya clutched the watch. “We actually time travelled.”
They followed the crowd towards the harbour. Cranes creaked overhead, lifting cargo. Workers shouted. People buzzed with excitement.
Then they saw her. The Titanic. Tall, grand, and glistening in the sunlight.
“She’s massive,” Jack breathed. “Like a floating palace.”
“I still can’t believe we’re really here,” Maya whispered.
But before they could get closer, a man’s voice cut through the crowd. “Hey! You two!”
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Chapter 3 – Suspicious Eyes
The voice belonged to a man in a navy coat with brass buttons. A dock officer.
He strode over, frowning. “Where are your parents?”
“We’re waiting for our uncle,” Maya said quickly.
“You look out of place. What are you wearing?”
Jack glanced down at his T-shirt and jeans. Definitely not 1912 style.
The officer narrowed his eyes. “I should take you to the station—”
A deep horn sounded from the Titanic, distracting the crowd.
“Now!” Maya hissed.
Jack twisted the dials, guessing. He pressed the button.
The watch spun again. The world tilted and blurred.
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Chapter 4 – Back in the Attic
They crashed onto the wooden attic floor, panting.
“That was close,” Jack said.
Maya sat up. “You nearly got us arrested in the past!”
“Yeah, but we saw the Titanic. With our own eyes.”
The watch lay between them, still and quiet.
“You think Grandma Rose used this?” Maya asked.
Jack nodded. “Maybe this was her secret. She was a time traveller.”
Maya carefully slipped the watch into her hoodie pocket. “We need to figure out how it works. Properly.”
Downstairs, their mum called, “Anything interesting up there?”
“Just old photos!” Jack shouted back.
The twins looked at each other and grinned.
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Chapter 5 – A Strange Discovery
Later that night, the twins met in Maya’s room. She had a notebook open.
“I think the three faces on the watch are for date, time, and place,” she said. “And these symbols—some look like coordinates.”
Jack traced one dial. “We could go anywhere. Ancient Rome. The moon landing. The Great Fire of London.”
“Let’s not go near any fires,” Maya said.
They agreed on rules:
Don’t change history.
Don’t get caught.
Always return before tea.
They hid the watch in Maya’s sock drawer. Safe. For now.
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Chapter 6 – The Time Travelling Starts Again
The next morning, Maya found a folded note inside the watch case.
It read:
“Wherever you go, remember: history watches you too. — R.”
“R?” Jack asked.
“Rose,” Maya said. “Grandma left this for us.”
They looked at each other.
Jack grinned. “Where to next?”
Maya smiled. “Let’s find out.”
She opened the watch and with a click, the dials began to spin again.
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