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Summary: time travel to rescue family
Review: After Jack witnesses his mother's brutal murder by his alcoholic father, he travels through a mysterious door in his grandfather's home and ends up in an earlier time. He decides to grow up there, so that in 55 years he can prevent his mother's death, but a jealous friend and World War II stand in his way. The story is told very effectively by a series of four notebooks found in 1952. Suspense and mystery will keep the reader glued to this book until the end, when all of the pieces of the puzzle eventually come together. Fans of science fiction and the theme of time travel will love this book. If you enjoyed this book, try _Stone Cold_, by the same author...a wonderful book about the addiction of gambling.
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Summary: Outstanding
Review: Have never read a book by Pete Hautman. Needed anotherfantasy/science fiction book for my childrens literature class.Instructor recommended this one, in fact it was her book that I borrowed. Excellent writing. Don't think the door would have been an issue with Jack had his family life not been in the situation it was in. It was sad about his mother, but I guess that is what happens sometimes even in real life when the woman keeps taking back the loser of a husband. As for the grandmother, no wonder she left she couldn't take the grandfather anymore. Just an outstanding book.
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Summary: A very well written,descriptive book!
Review: I enjoyed how the author made the reader feel as if you were there as the events unfolded. With the author's descriptive writing and the wonderful mystery in this book, I was on the edge of my seat. As the mystery was solved I felt I was either in Jack's state of confusion or at Pete Hautman's desk thinking up the events in my mind and putting them in the mind of my readers. Alyssa Wallace, 6th grade, Highland Elementary School, Clarkston, WA
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Summary: Intelligent reading for teens
Review: I happened upon on old Advance Reader's Copy at my local used bookstore today and read it straight through. This is a terrific time travel mystery for teens. Mr. Hautman uses the device of having 'found' the writings, journals, and government papers that make up the novel. The whole package works well - Jack (Mr. Was) is a character that readers will care very much about. The mystery is convoluted enough to keep the reader's mental skills challenged, and all of the questions and story elements are tied up well at the end. I particularly liked the fact that the Boggs family's disappearance is is reintroduced at the novel's conclusion. It gives the reader a whole other time travel mystery that he or she can speculate about. This would be great for a teen reading group, there are many social issues and imaginative questions posed in this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent reading for teens
Review: I happened upon on old Advance Reader's Copy at my local used bookstore today and read it straight through. This is a terrific time travel mystery for teens. Mr. Hautman uses the device of having 'found' the writings, journals, and government papers that make up the novel. The whole package works well - Jack (Mr. Was) is a character that readers will care very much about. The mystery is convoluted enough to keep the reader's mental skills challenged, and all of the questions and story elements are tied up well at the end. I particularly liked the fact that the Boggs family's disappearance is is reintroduced at the novel's conclusion. It gives the reader a whole other time travel mystery that he or she can speculate about. This would be great for a teen reading group, there are many social issues and imaginative questions posed in this novel.
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Summary: An engaging book triggering higher level thinking skills!
Review: I have just finished reading Mr.Was to my sixth grade class and what an enjoyable read. My class has been participating in Writer's Workshop this year and we have been studying descriptive language when writing quite intensely. Mr. Was proved to be an excellent example of an author using descriptive language to the fullest extent. My students would comment on how well the book was written while I was reading it aloud to them. The book was the perfect vehicle to promote descriptive writing. My students were also thoroughly engaged in the storyline of Mr. Was. Each student was mystified by the happenings in the book and did his/her best to use higher level thinking skills to try to solve the mystery. My students became frustrated at times because they felt confused by the storyline and this lended me the opportunity to explain the literary device of the author wanting to make the reader feel the same as the main character in the book. We then had a discussion of other books where that device was used. I recommend Mr. Was highly to any intermediate and higher level classroom for the story itself and the teaching tool it is
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Summary: I loved it so much, I read over and over
Review: I loved Mr. Was A LOT! It was written very well and it was so different from any other book I've ever read. I loved how it all pieced together, like how he fell in love with Andie, not knowing that she was his grandmother in the future. It was suspencful, and kept you hooked.
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Summary: WOW
Review: I read this book a few years ago and still think about it all the time. This is a must read for everyone, even if you don't like (or get) the concept of time travel. This story has such a twisted plot; the ending actually gave me goosebumps. Making this review has made me realize that I want to read this book again, and I will.
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Summary: My new favorite book
Review: I read this book in three days. I would have read it in less if it weren't for the fact that I had to go to sleep. I could absolutely not put it down! And at times I hesitated to start reading when I was bored and it was around 12:30 am, for I knew that if I did I would get lost in the story that this book was telling. I decided, "yes read!". An getting lost in the story was what happened. I could have stayed up all night! Pete Hautman is now one of my favorite authors. He wrote Mr. Was so incredibally! Before I bought Mr. Was I read reviews for it. It sounded ok. But, now after reading it I am totally and completely blown away by this book! When you're reading Mr. Was time travel seems as if it could be possible and you are thinking that the story is real and it really happened. I loved that about it. Another thing I loved was the fact that everything that was so comfusing in the begining made perfect sense in the end. Mr. Was is truly an incredible story and I recommend it to anyone looking for a wonderful though at first comfusing book. You won't be let down, I assure you.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: I really loved this book!! First it drew you to Jack's character, then took you on his life journey, which sure is an interesting one! It makes you finish the book, because without the ending, you have nothing! But without the beginning you have nothing! Pay attention, and prepare to be entertained and you will cherish this book and read it again and again!!
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