TJ and the Time Stumblers Books

This six-book series centers around two 23rd century goofballs, Tuna and Herby, who travel back in time to study TJ Finkelstein for their history project. TJ will someday become a great leader who demonstrates honesty, integrity, thoughtfulness, self-sacrifice, respect for others―all traits she hones and grasps through her adventures in this series. Unfortunately, Tuna and Herby get stuck in TJ’s time (modern day), so she has to deal with their schemes while juggling the normal issues of a seventh grader who has moved to a new city, is trying to fit in, and is coping with her mother’s death and her family’s new life. In New Kid Catastrophes , TJ accidentally makes an enemy of Hesper Breakahart, the superstar who attends their school. And Tuna and Herby’s attempts to help just lead to one disaster after another. In the end, TJ is still very unpopular, but she learns the value of looking past appearances and gains a few friends―and the attention of the most popular boy in school.

This six-book series centers around two 23rd century goofballs, Tuna and Herby, who travel back in time to study TJ Finkelstein for their history project. TJ will someday become a great leader who demonstrates honesty, integrity, thoughtfulness, self-sacrifice, respect for others―all traits she hones and grasps through her adventures in this series. Unfortunately, Tuna and Herby get stuck in TJ’s time (modern day), so she has to deal with their schemes while juggling the normal issues of a seventh grader who has moved to a new city, is trying to fit in, and is coping with her mother’s death and her family’s new life. In AAAARGH!!! , Tuna and Herby try to help TJ with a book report by getting the author to write it for her, but all three of them quickly see the consequences of cheating spiral out of control. Meanwhile, TJ’s cute neighbor and classmate Chad Steel is getting ready for a big surfing competition―and learning his own lesson about honesty.

The mishaps never end as TJ’s “helpers” from the 23rd century―Tuna and Herby―continue to study TJ as she learns the valuable lessons she’ll need to become a future world leader. In Oops!, TJ learns the importance of speaking and thinking well of people even when they are difficult, thanks to the Thought Broadcaster Pen, which exposes the thoughts of everyone it hits. As usual, Tuna and Herby’s attempts to fix the pen only make things worse―now all of TJ’s thoughts become reality! As she fights not to return meanness to others (and to clean up the disasters her thoughts cause, like turning whiny TV star Hesper Breakahart into a giant baby), TJ learns from her dad a little more about how her mother handled things: She kept reminding herself that each of us is God’s creation. And no matter how mean people may be, we all need to be loved. The same message also unfolds through a side story of classmate Chad Steel learning to treat a mean boy better.

Ho-Ho-NOOO! is all about TJ Finkelstein learning the real meaning of Christmas as she prepares for her future as a world leader with a little help from her 23rd-century goofball friends, Tuna and Herby. In a competition with her middle sister, TJ races to earn money so she can give it to her father as a Christmas present; he’s lost his job and the family is preparing to spend their first Christmas without their mom. Thanks to Tuna and Herby’s help at her job interview, where their futuristic gadgets expose the true motivation of each candidate, TJ lands a job at the mall―making kids smile for Santa and eventually playing (a much smaller) Santa herself. That job turns into a nanny gig for pop star Lady Goo-Goo’s spoiled and unattended kids. She also takes on a delivery job to help with dreamy Chad Steel’s plan to provide a hearty meal for the homeless on Christmas Eve . . . only to find herself delivering caviar cream puffs on the whim of TV star and classmate Hesper Breakahart. Despite all her work, her efforts to get money for Christmas backfire, but in the end TJ realizes Christmas is really about being with those she loves and sharing the love God has given through Christ.

Still on their quest to teach TJ Finkelstein the life lessons she’ll need to be a great world leader, 23rd-century goofballs Tuna and Herby are brewing up even more trouble for the new kid in Malibu. As the boys try to repair their futuristic gadgets, a little glitch in their Thought Broadcaster Pen lands TJ in the body of her nemesis, TV star Hesper Breakahart . . . and vice versa. And the plot thickens when Tuna and Herby decide to put TJ’s new look and superstar power to use. The time stumblers set up a concert for “Hesper” as a diversion while they sneak aboard a nuclear submarine and borrow a plutonium power pack―one of the items needed to fuel their time pod and get them out of TJ’s life. Meanwhile, Tuna and Herby are hounded by their own nemesis, Bruce Bruiseabone, who’s having a little trouble with forgiveness . . . a lesson that TJ realizes she might also need to learn as she walks a mile in Hesper’s shoes―and body!

In an effort to find the last of the fuel ingredients for their time pod, 23rd-century goofballs Tuna and Herby transport themselves to Africa. Unfortunately, they also transport TJ Finkelstein and half of her 7th-grade science class, including TV star Hesper Breakahart and dreamy Chad Steel. In the jungle, the Time Stumblers’ usual mayhem jumps to a new level as Herby is adopted by a mother gorilla, Tuna is transformed into an ostrich chick, and the students are taken in by an African tribe. When Hesper tries to escape by leaping into a raging river, TJ finds that it’s time to begin showing the leadership qualities that Tuna and Herby claim she’ll have someday as a world leader. Thanks to her, everyone makes it home safely, and the Time Stumblers fuel up their time pod, leaving with laughter, tears . . . and one last zany surprise for TJ.