Cirrus@Austlit

'Matt, Ben and Nicky have grown up together in the small town of Coolongawong in New South Wales. Last year a new girl came to town and Kris quickly became the fourth member of their group. Now the four friends are about to start Year 6 with the school's most popular teacher, Mr Mac. They discovered last year that by tripping on a creaky floorboard and saying the magic words History's a Mystery, they could be transported back in time and discover history as it is being made in exciting, and sometimes dangerous, adventures. They are now looking forward to another whole year of these adventures. In this second book they continue to meet some of history's most famous heroes and are present at some of history's most crucial times. Their adventures take them from visits back to the time of the dinosaurs and the Ice Age to the Ancient Olympics in Greece, the Vikings and Aztecs, to man's first time on top of Mt Everest and on the moon, from a rainforest adventure and a meeting with Ned Kelly to the last night on the Titanic and many more places in between.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Matt, Ben, Nicky and Kris are four friends living in the small town of Coolongawong in New South Wales. They have just finished primary school and spent the last two years in Mr Mac’s class. They discovered at the beginning of Year 5 that Mr Mac’s classroom was a magic one and by tripping on a creaky floorboard, crashing into the teacher’s desk and saying the magic words History’s a Mystery, they could be transported back in time and discover history as it is being made in exciting, and sometimes dangerous, adventures.

'Now they must leave the magic classroom behind as they begin high school in Orange. However, Mr Mac has given them hope that their magic adventures may continue. Together they visit Scotland and Sydney before realizing that their adventures cannot continue.

'Matt decides to invite his younger sister Olivia along on an adventure to the Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska. This, in turn, leads to her including her friends Grace, Will and Jack. Together, these four discover the wonders of Mr Mac’s magic classroom and visit many new places together including the Warsaw Ghetto, China’s Terracotta Army, the airship Hindenburg, the Incas, the Taj Mahal and Stonehenge, with many other places in between.

'Mr Mac’s love of teaching history provides some of the destinations the four friends choose to visit. Others are the choice of the children.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Olivia and her friends Grace, Will and Jack continue discovering the wonders of Mr Mac’s magic classroom and visit many new places together including Tutankhamen’ tomb and Cleopatra in Ancient Egypt an underground city in Turkey, Louisbourg and an old circus. They are present in Darwin during Cyclone Tracy and meet Harry Houdini, Mozart and Breaker Morant with many other people and places in between.

Matt, Nicky, Ben and Kris also return for an adventure back to New York during the terrorist attacks on the twin towers.

'Mr Mac’s love of teaching history provides some of the destinations the four friends choose to visit. Others are the choice of the children. In this fourth book in the series, they continue to meet some of history’s most famous heroes, and are present at some of history’s most crucial times.' (Publisher's blurb)