When I was a kid, I was obsessed with choose-you-own-adventure books. Sure, the trademarked Choose Your Own Adventure series with the white and red spines were ubiquitous, but I loved all the wacky different ones that were available: Twistaplot, Fantasy Forest, Which Way Books, Find Your Fate, Pick-a-Path…..all of ’em.

Hands down my favorite, though, were the Time Machine books. They were a “spinoff” series from the behemoth Choose Your Own Adventure series, and the gimmick was that you had a time machine that would send you back to various periods in Earth’s history.

My daughter is into CYOA books now in a huge way, so I thought it would be fun to conduct a giveaway with one of these classic titles. Up for grabs in this giveaway is Time Machine #11: Mission to World War II. It’s a 1st edition from 1986 and is in very good condition. Spread the word and good luck!

You have traveled back to Europe during World War II. You are hiding from German soldiers in the attic of a Warsaw house. A young Jewish boy in the resistance movement offers to help you escape. You must act quickly. Do you risk your life on the streets of the Warsaw ghetto with your friend, or do you head out of town? Your decision can lead you to safety or leave you stranded in time!

This giveaway is now over. Thanks for entering!

4 Comments

  1. I used to love the Time Machine series as a boy, along with Choose Your Own Adventure, Be An Interplanetary Spy, and D&D Endless Quest. In fact I recently reacquired used copies of ‘Search For Dinosaurs’ and ‘Sail With Pirates’ for my library; I also purchased them on Kindle, along with ‘The Rings Of Saturn’ and ‘Sword Of The Samurai’. I’m very much looking forward to sharing these same adventures with nephew, whose dad (my younger brother) still remembers these titles with similar fondness. And I would love to have a physical copy ‘Mission To World War II’.

  2. I was always really bad at CYOA books as a kid. I couldn’t handle the suspense so I would always look and read the endings and work backwards so I wouldn’t be disappointed! 😛

  3. I remember playing text adventure games on my Commodore computer in the early to mid 80’s, and soon discovering CYOA books at the library was so exciting. I now had an opportunity to have a similar experience anywhere. I remember loving anything that had to do with treasures or ghosts/monsters. I never got the chance to read the Time Machine series, but I love the original classic movie and book, or anything to do with time travel.

    This is all ironic, as just last week I was explaining and discussing to my 11yo Son what a CYOA book was, and my memories as a kid reading them. I was thinking of tracking some down to have him experience the great journeys of these books. He loves to read and is a very creative thinker, so I have a feeling he would thoroughly enjoy them. In my opinion, anytime you can share a fond memory or experience with your kids from your own childhood, that’s a great day!

  4. I never had the opportunity to read the Time Machine series. I think I’m going to look into getting some to share with my 11yo Son. It’s always a great treat to share in nostalgia that you enjoyed in your own childhood with your kids. Especially in an area with smartphones, tablets, etc. There’s just something timeless about these CYOA books.

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