Abacus - Hardcover

McGowan, Chris

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0981083110 ISBN 13: 9780981083117

Publisher: Euphausia Press, 2010

Synopsis

Abacus is a middle-grade novel that whisks readers along with AP, the 12-year-old protagonist and science geek, who travels through time with Kate, his oh-so-bored 15-year-old sister. Their journeys to Arthurian England, the Wild West, and Ancient Egypt, get them into some very tight spots, but AP uses his broad knowledge of science to help them escape. And stalking them on every trip is a hooded stranger whose attacks show he'll do anything to stop them. Besides being a fast-paced and engaging novel, the story has some additional features including: · easy to follow instructions at the back of the book for repeating AP's experiments · separate supplemental reading lists for kids, parents and educators · extra notes that delve deeper into the historical times and settings.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4–6— Twelve-year-old AP and his older sister, Kate, discover a miniature time-traveling device in the form of an abacus. They travel to Arthurian England, the American West (in time for the battle of the Little Big Horn), and to ancient Egypt. AP uses his amazingly broad knowledge of science and history to get them out of various predicaments. Meanwhile, they are stalked by a bumbling nemesis, Snakebite, who seeks the abacus, even though he can time travel without it. His last appearance leaves no doubt that a sequel is in the works. This novel suffers from trying to do too much at once. The author wants to engage children in history and science in addition to telling a good story. Although the action draws readers onward, the characters are not well drawn and the multiple time-travel sequences are too sketchy to satisfy. An audience spoiled by Mary Pope Osborne's "Magic Treehouse" series (Random) may find that they don't remain in a period long enough to become fully engrossed. Moreover, AP and his sister are too blasé about time travel and the people and places they see. The period characters all speak like modern kids and have decidedly modern sensibilities. The book includes (actually pretty cool) instructions to duplicate the science experiments found in the story.—Corinne Henning-Sachs, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Euphausia Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0981083110
• ISBN 13: 9780981083117
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 308