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Extra life

Derek Nikitas - Author

Russ’s attempt to make a short film sets off a chain of trouble, and a message from his future self draws him into changing the past. The resulting time-travel glitches put his own wellbeing and other people’s lives at risk.

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Time travel· ExplainedConsequences· ExplainedNarrative structure· Explained

Consider

Emotional intensityFear and suspenseFrightening scenes

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

time travelconsequencesnarrative structure

FictionNovel

Themes in Context

Changing the past

Russ uses a chance to leap twelve hours into the past to try to fix a day, but tampering with time creates glitches he cannot control.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The plot connects Russ’s attempts to alter events with escalating complications, making cause and consequence central to the story’s science-fiction structure.

Talk about: What does Russ learn, if anything, about trying to control events by changing the past?

Keeping track of the timeline

The story uses leaps into the past and alternate versions of Russ, creating a timeline readers may need to follow closely.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: Reader comments describe the time-travel plot as complex and sometimes confusing, while also noting that its threads can be followed.

Talk about: Which clues help you tell the different versions of Russ and events apart?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The central appeal is a fast-moving science-fiction puzzle: each attempt to alter events complicates the timeline. It may suit a reader who enjoys following twists and working out how alternate versions fit together.

What Deserves Attention

The stakes include danger to Russ’s sanity and to the lives of people he cares about. Consider whether that escalating peril feels manageable for your reader.

A Conversation Worth Having

If Russ could revisit a difficult day, what might he hope to change—and what could make changing it more complicated than expected?

Reading Approach

Try reading in short, attentive stretches, keeping track of when events happen and which version of Russ is involved. Pause to compare notes after each major shift in the timeline.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Changing the past: The available plot outline does not establish the story’s broader judgement of Russ’s choices or the exact resolution.
Keeping track of the timeline: Reader reactions do not establish how every reader will experience the structure.

Extra life by Derek Nikitas | Open Library

Limited information

Checked: 2 October 2026.

Relevant to: Changing the past

Extra life

Limited information

Checked: 2 October 2026.

Relevant to: General book context

Extra Life

Limited information

Checked: 2 October 2026.

Relevant to: Changing the past; Keeping track of the timeline

Benefits, discussion questions and reading approaches are suggestions. Your knowledge of your child remains part of the decision.

Heidi

Heidi

Extra life

At a Glance

Discover

Consider

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

Themes in Context

Changing the past

Keeping track of the timeline

Why It May Be Worth Reading

What Deserves Attention

A Conversation Worth Having

Reading Approach

What remains unconfirmed