Oliver: A Magic Owl and His Time Machine

One day, while siblings Bobby and Emily Radnay are walking with their dog in the forest near their country home, they encounter something completely unexpected-a huge, talking bird! Oliver, in fact, is a wise and magical owl, but he is injured and needs the brother-and-sister duo to help him. As they do, the three become fast friends and Oliver reveals to them his hidden treasure: a special time-travelling flying machine, given to his family many generations ago. Bobby and Emily can't wait to try it, but before they do, Oliver makes them promise not to tell anyone about him or the machine.

Soon, with Oliver as their guide and teacher, Bobby and Emily go on time-travelling adventures to the ancient past of North and Central America, uncovering what life was like many, many years ago. The siblings learn so many amazing things about our past and present world that they want to share and discover more-but in doing so, will they be able to keep Oliver's secret?

Set in Northern California, Oliver: A Magic Owl and His Time Machine is an enchanting story about the love of nature, the power of learning and discovery, and the importance of respecting and supporting your friends.

Ildiko Bartnicki was born and grew up in the countryside of Hungary. She worked in Budapest at the Ministry of Agriculture as a certified accountant before arriving to the United States after escaping the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. She was a scientific illustrator at the University of California, where she met her future husband. Together, they traveled around the world, meeting people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Ildiko and her husband have two residences-one in Chula Vista, California, and the other in Ensenada, Mexico-and own a condominium in Puerto Vallarta.