The novel 'Time Flies for Ms. Wiz' by Terence Blacker is the seventh installment in the Ms. Wiz series, combining fantasy and comedy. It follows characters Jack, Nabila, and Ms. Wiz as they embark on a time-traveling adventure through the 16th and 19th centuries, facing challenges and learning important moral lessons along the way. The book offers both entertaining storytelling and easy-to-understand language, although there are concerns about its influence on children's focus on studies.

1. Novel Review
Book’s Identity
Title : Time Flies for Ms Wiz (Ms Wiz #7)
Author : Terence Blacker
Genre : Fantasy, Comedy
Pages : 128
Language : Indonesian and English
Publication : June 2003 by PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama. First
published at 1922, 64 pages without Indonesian
translation.
"Time Flies for Ms Wiz" is dedicated to Lorraine Boyce and the students of Wyndcliffe Junior High
School, Birmingham. This novel is the seventh series of “Ms Wiz” serial. With this novel, the
reader will experience the adventure towards the 16th century when the reign of Queen Elizabeth I,
and the 19th century when the Crimean War happened.
Jack—the naughty boy in the third grade, Nabila—the nerdy weird and also Jack’s classmate, and
Ms Wiz—the famous witch who often failed in her spell, are the main characters in this story.
Summary
Mr. Bailey was teaching the students of the third grade to study about history. Suddenly, Mr. Bailey
saw a piece of paper thrown from outside the class. It said that Mr. Bailey was instructed to go to
the principal's office.
Shortly after Mr. Bailey left the classroom, Ms Wiz appeared in a puff of smoke with a time
machine. When Ms Wiz chatted with the students, Jack—who likes to make many troubles, was
messing with Ms Wiz’s time machine. As a result, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. To bring Jack
back to the present, Nabila and Ms Wiz went to the past with the time machine which has been used
by Jack that time.
Nabila and Ms Wiz faced various problems when they were looking for Jack. Starting from
pretending as Queen Elizabeth to rescue 16-years-old girl from execution and almost been arrested
by the villagers because of that camouflage, until became a prisoner in the arena of the Crimean
War. When they were trying to escape from the war, Nabila managed to find Jack, who was also
captured by soldiers of the war. Having managed to escape together, the three of them—Nabila,
Jack, and Ms Wiz could go back to the present safely.
Positive Side of the Book:
The usage of language and the diction in this novel are easy to understand by the reader. Besides,
the story has moral value that we have to keep our behavior or do not be naughty, so that we are not
inconvenience others. The other message of the story is do not underestimate other if we cannot do
something important like helping others when they have problems.

2. Negative side of the Book:
In line with the advantages of the story, according to my opinion, the negative side is: the story will
make children often think about going to the past with Ms Wiz’s time machine. That is natural trait
of the children when they have an imagination. But, with that imagination, they will always think
about it although they are studying, so they will have no concentration in studying.
Conclusion
All things in this world have positive and negative side. All we have to do is handle the negative
side and take the positive one into our life. Just like this novel, we have to take the moral value of it.
The story entertains the reader when having spare time, so I recommend this novel.
Indonesian Translation of the Synopsys:
Novel karangan Terence Blacker ini dipersembahkan untuk Lorraine Boyce dan murid-murid
Wyndcliffe Junior High School, Birmingham. "Time Flies for Ms Wiz" adalah seri ke tujuh dari
novel serial Ms. Wiz. Dengan novel ini, pembaca akan mengalami petualangan menuju abad ke-16
saat masa kekuasaan Ratu Elizabeth I, dan abad ke-19 ketika Perang Crimean berlangsung.
Jack—murid nakal di kelas tiga, Nabila—si kutu buku yang aneh dan juga teman sekelas jack, dan
Ms Wiz—penyihir terkenal yang mantranya sering gagal, adalah karakter utama dalam cerita ini.
Mr. Bailey sedang mengajar murid kelas tiga tentang pelajaran sejarah. Tiba-tiba, Mr. Bailey
melihat secarik kertas yang dilempar dari luar kelas. Tulisan di kertas itu memberitahu bahwa
beliau diperintahkan untuk pergi ke ruang kepala sekolah.
Tak lama setelah Mr. Bailey pergi, Ms Wiz muncul dalam kepulan asap dengan sebuah mesin
waktu. Ketika Ms Wiz berbincang-bincang dengan murid-murid, Jack yang senang bikin masalah
bermain-main dengan mesin waktu milik Ms Wiz. Akibatnya, ia lenyap dalam kepulan asap. Untuk
membawa jack kembali ke masa kini, Nabila memberanikan diri bersama Ms Wiz menuju abad ke-
16 dan 19.
Berbagai masalah mereka hadapi dalam pencarian Jack. Mulai dari menyamar sebagai Ratu
Elizabeth untuk menyelamatkan gadis berusia 16 tahun dari pengeksekusian dan hampir ditangkap
penduduk desa karena penyamaran itu, hingga menjadi tawanan dalam kancah Perang Crimean.
Dalam usaha melarikan diri dari perang, Nabila berhasil menemukan Jack yang juga ditawan oleh
prajurit perang. Setelah berhasil melarikan diri bersama-sama, mereka bertiga kembali ke masa kini
dengan selamat.
KEVIN MEILINA AGATHA
XII-MIPA 3