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natashazaleski's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
hoserlauren's review against another edition
2.0
Jim and Charlie are spying on their teachers when they hear two of them start speaking in a strange language. Trying to get to the bottom of what those teachers are talking about, suspicious events happen. The boys set out on an adventure to try and figure it out.
There isn't a Haddon book I've met that I haven't liked. Until now. I enjoyed some of the moments between Jim and his dad, who is unemployed and trying to figure out how to contribute to the family when he's given a beginner's cook book. There were also some good moments between Jim and his sister. The rest fell flat for me.
Jim's sister is dating a weird guy (Craterface) who seems abnormally violent. Looking back on this character, he seemed to serve no purpose other than the use of his motorcycle. Surely there's an easier way to get a motorcycle than inventing a character?
The last quarter of the book was probably the worst part, with many threads unexplored and not making much sense. While I think a young boy would really enjoy this book, I'm not sure anyone else would find it entertaining.
There isn't a Haddon book I've met that I haven't liked. Until now. I enjoyed some of the moments between Jim and his dad, who is unemployed and trying to figure out how to contribute to the family when he's given a beginner's cook book. There were also some good moments between Jim and his sister. The rest fell flat for me.
Jim's sister is dating a weird guy (Craterface) who seems abnormally violent. Looking back on this character, he seemed to serve no purpose other than the use of his motorcycle. Surely there's an easier way to get a motorcycle than inventing a character?
The last quarter of the book was probably the worst part, with many threads unexplored and not making much sense. While I think a young boy would really enjoy this book, I'm not sure anyone else would find it entertaining.
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
3.0
Jim and his friend Charlie spy on the teachers in the teachers' lounge with walkie talkies. They overhear two of their teachers (ones who are never seen speaking to each other in public) speaking some weird language together. They decide to investigate and become involved in something completely unexpected and dangerous.
Funny and a quick read. For fans of Bruce Colville. Older elementary aged.
Funny and a quick read. For fans of Bruce Colville. Older elementary aged.
storywarden's review against another edition
5.0
The narration and the story of this book were fantastic! Spot on!
saidtheraina's review against another edition
2.0
I'm actually pretty irritated that I didn't enjoy this book. I really enjoyed the intro, where Jim throws food off a roof at his sister's obnoxious boyfriend. The cover's awesome. And it's nice to see a pure-sci-fi J title. I don't read J titles as much as YA so I was really hoping to like this one.
But between a mixup about the CDs and some distractions, I lost track of the plot and although I liked elements of this (fields of bunnies! motorcycle tricks), I just never latched on and needed to move on. And it's only a three-CD TB. Bummer!
But between a mixup about the CDs and some distractions, I lost track of the plot and although I liked elements of this (fields of bunnies! motorcycle tricks), I just never latched on and needed to move on. And it's only a three-CD TB. Bummer!
karieh13's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very good little read. My stack of “currently reading” books is almost bigger than my stack of “to be reads” so this was a nice break from a pile of books that is not grabbing my attention. This book did, if only for a short while.
“There was an adventure on the way, a nuclear-powered, one-hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a snack trolley. And it was pulling into the station right now.”
So begins the adventure of Jim and his friend Charlie. (“Charlie looked like a Victorian chimney sweep – pointy face, beady eyes, hair going in all directions, clothes a couple of sizes too large. Not that you’d really notice him.”)
Jim is an average kid with average problems in school and at home…and he’s averagely bored. Until…he and Charlie hear two of their teachers talking in a very strange language.
There is a strong essence of Daniel M. Pinkwater in “boom!” – at least there was for me. And I loved Pinkwater’s books growing up…still do, actually. There’s just a certain bent to this story, a particular kind of oddness that I very much enjoy. Maybe it’s a bit of snark used in conjunction with a very original game of “What If?”
“My name is Ktop-p-paaç?nii,” said the spider. “It will make a car crash in your mouth. But you can call me Britney.”
As an adult, I enjoyed this book, but wasn’t engrossed by it. I think that might be a different story for children. There is enough every day detail about Jim’s life at the beginning for most kids to relate to before being drawn into the action.
“I gazed at the panel of buttons. Maybe one of them opened the door. But which one? And what were the others for? Press the wrong one and I might be microwaved, or crushed. The tube might fill with water. Or sulphuric acid. Or cockroaches.”
Sure beats math class…
“There was an adventure on the way, a nuclear-powered, one-hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a snack trolley. And it was pulling into the station right now.”
So begins the adventure of Jim and his friend Charlie. (“Charlie looked like a Victorian chimney sweep – pointy face, beady eyes, hair going in all directions, clothes a couple of sizes too large. Not that you’d really notice him.”)
Jim is an average kid with average problems in school and at home…and he’s averagely bored. Until…he and Charlie hear two of their teachers talking in a very strange language.
There is a strong essence of Daniel M. Pinkwater in “boom!” – at least there was for me. And I loved Pinkwater’s books growing up…still do, actually. There’s just a certain bent to this story, a particular kind of oddness that I very much enjoy. Maybe it’s a bit of snark used in conjunction with a very original game of “What If?”
“My name is Ktop-p-paaç?nii,” said the spider. “It will make a car crash in your mouth. But you can call me Britney.”
As an adult, I enjoyed this book, but wasn’t engrossed by it. I think that might be a different story for children. There is enough every day detail about Jim’s life at the beginning for most kids to relate to before being drawn into the action.
“I gazed at the panel of buttons. Maybe one of them opened the door. But which one? And what were the others for? Press the wrong one and I might be microwaved, or crushed. The tube might fill with water. Or sulphuric acid. Or cockroaches.”
Sure beats math class…
molly_benevides's review against another edition
4.0
Again with the British reader! Love it! Good sci-fi book for 6-8th graders.