Fort Worth, Texas; Published October 18, 2025 | By Evrima Chicago Newsroom
Pete Hartgraves; retired school counselor, former band director, and now a rising author of historical fiction for young readers; has crafted a four-book time-travel series that blends pulse-pounding adventure with moral dilemmas and real moments from America’s past.
The series, Adventures in Time, is already being used by educators and loved by middle-grade readers for bringing history alive without ever feeling like a classroom lesson.
Four Books, Four Journeys Through History
In a recent interview on The Spotlight Network with host Logan Crawford, Hartgraves confirmed that Adventures in Time has grown into a four-book saga; each installment dropping three modern-day kids into defining moments of the human story.
The Adventures in Time Series by Larry Hartgraves
P.S. The first book, My Only Regret, is listed as published in 2025 by Kravitz & Sons LLC (ISBN 9798896393542).
From Counselor to Creator
Before becoming a novelist, Hartgraves spent three decades in education; four years as a band director and twenty-five as a school counselor. “I listened to my students,” he told Logan Crawford. “Especially the ones who hated to read. I tried to understand their humor, their curiosity, their questions about courage and fate and friendship. And I molded all that into stories they could connect with.”
That empathy forms the backbone of Adventures in Time. Beneath the time-travel mechanics lies a teacher’s heart: the belief that reading can reignite curiosity when it feels lost.
“I got tired of hearing kids say they hated to read,” he said. “So I wanted to write a story captivating enough to unlock their love of reading before it was too late.”
A Bridge Between Learning and Imagination
Hartgraves resists calling his novels “educational.” “I hate to call it educational because I want kids to enjoy reading,” he told Crawford. “But it is educational in the sense that it brings history alive.”
That balance; entertainment first, education second; has made Adventures in Time a favorite in classrooms. Teachers of grades 5–9 praise the series for its humor, emotional depth, and moral inquiry. Parents say it offers their children adventure with meaning.
Whether readers are marching alongside Revolutionary War soldiers, hiding freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad, or standing on the decks of the sinking Titanic, they’re not just reading history; they’re feeling it.
The Moral Compass of Time Travel
A central theme across all four books is the ethical tension of changing the past. Bobby, one of the three main characters, embodies this internal conflict.
“He’s determined to save the world,” Hartgraves said. “He has the same dilemma we all would have: if we could go back and rescue a hero from a tragic end; even though it could change the future; would we do it?”
This question gives the series its emotional core. It’s about courage, consequence, and the timeless challenge of doing what’s right; even when the right choice isn’t clear.
Expanding the Timeline
Although four books are complete, Hartgraves hinted the series may continue.
He’s considered settings around the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the discoveries of Marie Curie, or the technological revolution led by Steve Jobs.
“It’d be neat to go back and maybe see Madam Curie discover radiation,” he mused. “Or Neil Armstrong Walk on the Moon.”
Regardless of where the timeline travels next, his mission remains steady: to make young readers see themselves in history and to show that learning can be an adventure.
Author Biography (2025)
Pete Hartgraves is a retired school counselor who has always loved reading fiction. After leaving education, he decided to merge that passion with his fascination for history.
He places three kids from the twenty-first century into some of the world’s most famous historical events; inviting readers to experience the adventures they don’t find in textbooks.
Hartgraves lives south of Fort Worth, Texas, where he continues to write stories that encourage curiosity, empathy, and lifelong learning.
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CITATION(s)
Media Contact
Dan Wasserman
Evrimachicago.com
Source Acknowledgments
Primary Interview Source: The Spotlight Network with Logan Crawford (YouTube, Books to Life Marketing, 2025).
Supplementary materials: Author’s press release (2025), Google Books metadata, Amazon and Barnes & Noble retail listings.
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