The Lens and The Looker by Lory S. Kaufman

The Lens and The Looker by Lory S. Kaufman
Publisher:  Fiction Std.
Publish Date:  March 16, 2011
ISBN: 978-1936558025
Pages:  336


It's the 24th century and three teens are so spoiled and lazy that they refuse to learn the lessons their elders wish to teach them.  They don't seem to care how their world came to be the way it is.  They are sent to History Camp - a reenactment of some of the roughest periods in our history.

The three teens - Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln - come in with poor attitudes and just get worse when they begin to use a genie to help them disrupt things.  Suddenly they're whisked off (kidnapped, really) to the REAL Verona, Italy in 1347.  When things go wrong and their kidnapper is killed, the teens are stuck in 1347 alone and must quickly learn life lessons.

The boys are apprenticed to a lensmaker and Shamira becomes a kitchen girl.  I think that the way the author handles the general issues that come up are wonderful - he really gets across the feel of how difficult life was in 1347, compared to now.  The lensmaking process is fascinating and explained in a very thorough manner.

The addition of a romance for Hansum with his master's daughter, really adds to the story.  Will he even WANT to go back to the 24th century if he has to leave Guilietta behind?

Definitely a good read for the younger set of YA.