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cornmaven's review
4.0
Deceptively sophisticated homage to The Phantom Tollbooth, with a lovely message about creativity and the forces that impede it.
Lots of word play, beautiful illustrations, and just about every proverb/slogan/cliche/turn of phrase about time that exists. I could see a teacher using this for a very fun Language Arts unit that would help kids enjoy words. Oh wait, they can't do that because states are impeding creativity with testing, testing, testing. Bummer.
Thanks to Scholastic for providing a fully published copy of this wonderful book at their brunch during the Texas Library Association. I was honored to hear Britt, Martha Brockenbrough, and Spencer Quinn present part of the story, and I dove right in when I got home.
#scholastic
Lots of word play, beautiful illustrations, and just about every proverb/slogan/cliche/turn of phrase about time that exists. I could see a teacher using this for a very fun Language Arts unit that would help kids enjoy words. Oh wait, they can't do that because states are impeding creativity with testing, testing, testing. Bummer.
Thanks to Scholastic for providing a fully published copy of this wonderful book at their brunch during the Texas Library Association. I was honored to hear Britt, Martha Brockenbrough, and Spencer Quinn present part of the story, and I dove right in when I got home.
#scholastic
colleenmcrenick's review
5.0
An excellent book with a spin on words to remind us of the possibilities therein. What might we see, hear, think, explore, and more if we were open to possibilities? Such a cute book and a great read for kids and the adults in their lives.
xcgirl93's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this book as a read aloud book to my 4th and 5th graders who really enjoyed it, as did I. It is reminiscent of The Phantom Tollbooth, in that the narration and plot rely heavily on wordplay and that the main character ends up in a very different world with what often seem to be nonsensical rules. The story was very creative, though dragged at points. I think upper elementary is the perfect audience for this novel, and any child who is growing up with an overpacked schedule will truly appreciate the messages about imagination and creativity that this story has to share.
gmamartha's review
3.0
Feeling like Alice down the rabbit hole a bit after reading this one. My mind is still whirling with this adventure in wordplay.
cdale8's review
3.0
Another book that I'd give another half star to if I could...
I really enjoyed the word play, and the interesting way all of the euphemisms and allegorical references to time were integrated into the story. I knocked a star (half star) for the oddly extended battle with Chronos that dragged at times, and another star for my feeling that the story didn't quite close the circle between Penelope's real life and the fantasy world she entered to escape her real-life complaints.
I would have liked to have seen closure with Mom, the complicit and ineffectual father, and the Almanac's rule over Mom's realm. As it was, closure within the fantasy realm was cinched up tight, but back in the real world we had only a sense of who the Great Moodler might represent and how each portion of the fantasy was reflected in "the real world". So a battle was won, but nothing of how that affected the next day where no hole existed in Penelope's schedule... What about returning to the mushroom camp -- how did her moodling experience assist her with that? Did she develop a better appreciation for the study of mushrooms? There was more that could have been done at the end, perhaps trimming off some of the laborious parts around working in Chronos-land to accommodate the closure.
I really enjoyed the word play, and the interesting way all of the euphemisms and allegorical references to time were integrated into the story. I knocked a star (half star) for the oddly extended battle with Chronos that dragged at times, and another star for my feeling that the story didn't quite close the circle between Penelope's real life and the fantasy world she entered to escape her real-life complaints.
I would have liked to have seen closure with Mom, the complicit and ineffectual father, and the Almanac's rule over Mom's realm. As it was, closure within the fantasy realm was cinched up tight, but back in the real world we had only a sense of who the Great Moodler might represent and how each portion of the fantasy was reflected in "the real world". So a battle was won, but nothing of how that affected the next day where no hole existed in Penelope's schedule... What about returning to the mushroom camp -- how did her moodling experience assist her with that? Did she develop a better appreciation for the study of mushrooms? There was more that could have been done at the end, perhaps trimming off some of the laborious parts around working in Chronos-land to accommodate the closure.
imjusthere23's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
nssutton's review
2.0
I have always been a planner. My life changed when I started using a weekly print planner and I never looked back. Being organized and thoughtful about tasks and time is freeing for me -- so a children's book that took those same elements and made them such a negative straight out of the gate felt like a bitter pill to swallow. I understand that there is a tiger mom trend to over schedule children, but this felt as if I were being beat over the head with it. I made it about 100 pages in during the ride home on Thanksgiving, but by the time we hit the bridge, I still wasn't digging it and decided to cut my losses. I see shades of Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth in plot design and details.