Skip to content
Responsive image
Vendor
Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
Categories

RHYTHM OF TIME

S.A. Cosby Questlove

Grammy winner Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson makes his middle grade debut in this fun, series opening adventure where two best friends travel back in time, inadvertently rewriting the future.
Not allowed to have a cell phone or laptop by his tech-minimalist parents, thirteen-year-old Rahim relies on his best friend and tech-genius, Kasia, for help with his homework and most importantly, to record and post his rap songs online. A master inventor, Kasia loves devising new gadgets and testing them on, ahem, sharing them with, Rahim. Her latest surprise -- a cell phone she's built from scratch complete with a kinetic battery and a not-so-legal cell signal from government satellites.

When Rahim uses it the two quickly learn this cell phone is not like others, and as its first beta-testing user, Rahim is encountering some sizable glitches -- namely time travel. Ecstatic at the chance to do something he's only dreamed of, Rahim uses the phone to see his favorite hip-hop group live before they broke up in the late 90s, only to find himself stuck in the past. With Kasia as his only lifeline to the present, they'll have to work together to find a way to bring Rahim home without destroying their timeline and dodging bullies and suspicious government officials along the way.

It's about to get messy, but if there is anything Rahim is good at, it's finding the right beat to get out of trouble.

Drummer, DJ, producer, culinary entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, and member of The Roots, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is the unmistakable heartbeat of Philadelphia's most influential hip-hop group. He is the musical director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where his beloved Roots crew serves as house band. Beyond that, this five-time Grammy Awardwinning musician's indisputable reputation has landed him musical-directing positions with everyone from D'Angelo to Eminem to Jay-Z. Questlove has also released multiple books, including the New York Times bestsellers Mo' Meta Blues and Creative Quest, the Grammy-nominated audiobook Creative Quest, Soul Train: The Music, Dance and Style of a Generation, James Beard Awardnominated somethingtofoodabout, and, most recently, Mixtape Potluck Cookbook.
Available products
Book

Published 2023-04-18 by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Book for Young Readers

Book

Published 2023-04-18 by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Book for Young Readers

Comments

Questlove, Grammy winning musician, DJ and frontman of The Roots, stops by TODAY to talk about his new book geared toward middle schoolers called, "The Rhythm of Time" which follows a kid from Philly who gets transported to June 1997. "I wanted to create the book that I wished I got to read. I come from a generation where you had to vicariously place yourself in these situations. I think today what's important is that people see themselves in other characters." Read more...

NPR's "Weekend Edition" spoke with authors Questlove and S. A. Cosby yesterday! The 8-minute interview included a brief reading from THE RHYTHM OF TIME, conversation about their writing process, and personal inspiration for the series. The piece has been syndicated across regional NPR stations including Iowa Public Radio, KCLU, South Carolina Public Radio, and more. Read more...

In this entertaining novel centering Black tweens by noted musician and filmmaker Questlove and bestselling author Cosby, the gift of a supersmart phone is a godsend... until it's very much not... Time-travel hijinks and '90s rap references abound in a fun and funny series starter. Read more...

Layering references to popular culture with speculative surrealism, the creators conjure an engaging love letter to the '90s that gives way to a heartwarming story of love and support. Read more...

Questlove's RHYTHM OF TIME debuted at #4 on the hardcover middle grade list!

People Magazine ran their feature interview with Questlove in which he talks about THE RHYTHM OF TIME. Read more...

Questlove was a guest on "CBS Mornings" today, speaking to the hosts about THE RHYTHM OF TIME. Read more...

Readers looking for a fun romp will find it here [in] this first installment in an adventurous new series.