The Timekeeper
Coming-of-Age Adventure Middle-Grade Fiction Collectible First Edition Magical Realism Time-Slip Fantasy Australian Children's Fiction
Emily Rodda’s 1992 first-edition hardcover “The Timekeeper” is one of the scarcest titles in the Australian author’s back-list, long out-of-print and seldom seen in collectible condition. Released two years before her international blockbuster “Deltora Quest,” this stand-alone time-slip fantasy introduces 11-year-old Nick who finds a strange brass watch that can stop—or steal—time itself. First-edition points are easy to spot: the pictorial dust-jacket by prolific illustrator David Cox is dated 1992 on the spine, the boards are a deep navy foil-stamped cloth, and the copyright page carries the full number line 10–1 without later printings. At only 184 pages it is the perfect length for confident middle-grade readers, yet the layered themes of responsibility, memory and the cost of control keep adult collectors turning pages well past lights-out.
What makes this copy especially desirable is its strictly first-edition, first-printing status in very well-preserved shape: pages are crisp and bright, free of inscriptions, stamps or dog-ears, and the binding is still tight and square. The original jacket—often lost on ex-library copies—survives here with only light shelf scuffs and remains vivid in color, protecting the navy cloth boards beneath. No writing, no remainder marks, no unpleasant odors; just the gentle patina that 30-year-old paper naturally acquires when it has been loved and stored correctly. For completists assembling a full Rodda set, “The Timekeeper” is the elusive cornerstone that turns a good shelf into a true collection.
Beyond rarity, the story itself is a nostalgic time-capsule of early-’90s Australian children’s fiction: a seaside town, a dusty antique shop, and a ticking mystery that bridges generations. Parents who grew up on Rodda’s “Teen Power” or “Finders Keepers” series now seek this title to read aloud at bedtime, while teachers value its concise chapters for classroom novel studies. Vintage collectors appreciate the small trim size, the evocative Cox illustrations, and the subtle gold foil on the jacket—details modern reprints simply do not reproduce. Secure this first edition now and you hold both a gripping adventure novel and a 30-year-old artifact that continues to appreciate in cultural and monetary value.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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