While digging holes in his backyard, Qwerty Stevens unearths a machine that appears to be a lost invention by Thomas Edison. Qwerty’s home is in West Orange, NJ very near Edison’s laboratory and home. It’s not long before Qwerty discovers that Edison’s machine can transport you Anywhere, Anytime. Of course he ends up visiting Edison himself. He’s counting on his older sister Barbara to bring him home, but when she ends up trapped in Edison’s time herself, they’re at a loss as to how they’ll make it home.
The book is full of cool additions like photos of Edison, his home and the men he worked with. There’s a page with Morse Code (which Qwerty has to learn). Especially beneficial is Gutman’s note at the end which separates fact from fiction, something young readers should definitely check out.
The time travel device isn’t the most well thought out one I’ve seen, but it’s okay. I tend to prefer time travel that’s rooted in the mystical. This is definitely technological in nature. Also, I was unduly annoyed that the book employs the butterfly effect and something in the past makes a major change in the present.
Having both Qwerty and Barbara play major roles in the story makes this more accessible to both genders. There is some difficult vocabulary (especially when Edison is explaining things) but overall, I would say this is a third grade reading level. Advanced younger students shouldn’t find much objectionable in the content.
Great for: I’m currently teaching an inventions unit and my students have little understanding of what the world was like before the advanced technology that exists today. This is a great trip back in time to learn about Edison’s work and what life was like before his inventions changed the world.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – Qwerty wishes he could visit the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ locker room. Sixteen year old Barbara holds hands with a man. She hopes he’ll kiss her. The book doesn’t make a big deal of it or anything, but the man she’s having a flirtation with should be 27 at the time the book takes place which is a bit old for Barbara’s 16 years.
Profanity – “my God,” “son of a–” the phrase is left unfinished. “jerks,”
Death, Violence and Gore – Qwerty’s father died in a car accident when he was a kid.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Edison has cigars (it’s unclear whether he smokes them).
Frightening or Intense Things – Qwerty tells his sister that parents put kids who tattle up for adoption.
Are we not commenting on Qwerty’s name? The first 6 letters of the top row of the keyboard? Why? Why is this his name? Inside joke I’m missing?
Yeah, it was a nickname he got. The kids needed to put their names on their paper and then do a typing exercise where they typed the letters on the keyboard, but he didn’t line things up right and started the exercise where it said to put their name, so his name on the paper came up as Qwerty and it stuck. It seemed irrelevant once I started reading so I kind of ignore it.
How odd.