The Infinite (Leap Cycle #1)

British Nigerian Elle Bíbi-Imbelé Ifíè, who is autistic, is a Leapling: someone born on February 29. Now that's she's approaching her seventh year at Intercalary International--a top secret boarding school for the 0.6 % of Leaplings who have what Elle calls The Gift--she's finally allowed to use the time-travel ability she's cultivated at school to participate on a class trip to 2048. Once there, she'll tour Time Squad Headquarters, home to an elite team of time travelers responsible for maintaining order across all time. It's there that Elle and her math-savvy best friend Big Ben--who reads as white and is also autistic--learn that Leaplings have been disappearing across myriad timelines. Teaming up with a Leapling named Ama who's searching for her missing brother, Elle and Big Ben endeavor to piece together the clues and save the vanished Leaplings. Occasionally leaning on familiar tropes when developing the variously neurodivergent cast, debut author Agbabi nevertheless delivers a layered, time-bending adventure through Elle's astute and cheeky narration, intertwining a clever mystery with lightly ecologically focused problem-solving. Ages 9-11. (May)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

The Infinite is vivid, funny, exciting and inventive. But there are books that are all those things and still don't work. This works brilliantly, and the characters are so delightful that I don't think anyone could fail to like them. I was so fond of Elle and Big Ben that I'd have followed them anywhere. Patience Agbabi has created something fresh and original here, and I look forward very much to what she writes next—PHILIP PULLMAN