A Mighty Fine Time Machine

by Suzanne Bloom

How can you turn an empty box into a time machine? This comical story featuring endearing characters with vivid imaginations celebrates creativity and ingenuity.

Samantha the anteater simply can’tbelieve it when her friends Grant the aardvark and Antoine the armadillo tell her they plan to build a time machine.Can they really make such a thing from a big old box and a bunch of “hoozie-doozies”? Samantha has her doubts, but is willing to jump in and help her friends fulfill their plan in an unexpected way.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Friendship, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2009

Reviews

[Sadie Seney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story about 3 animals that build a Time Machine out of a box. Like many children do they used their imagination to create something while encouraging each other along the way. Very fun and many children could relate to these ideas!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three animal friends try to make a time machine out of a cardboard box. When it doesn't work, they make it into a bookmobile instead!

Good for preschool storytimes.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of animals find a box and a lot of things to create a time machine. When time travel evades them, Samantha, the Anteater, turns the box and materials into something new and wonderful.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Antoine and Grant are trying to build a time machine from a cardboard box and Sam stops by to help them. Although they don't end up with a time machine, they do make pretty good bookmobile.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book shows that books can act like time machines and take us to other times and places.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Samantha the anteater, Grant the aardvark, and Antoine the armadillo. These three star in Suzanne Bloom's latest picture book A Mighty Fine Time Machine. Can three friends make the impossible happen? Can they turn a seemingly ordinary box into a time machine? They can sure try! But Samantha's determination along with her keen insights make this one a fun read.

In what will probably be a rare occurrence, A Mighty Fine Time Machine had me at hello. Here's how it starts off,

"Boys," said Sam, "you've been bamboozled."
Grant and Antoine did not know what to say. They had just traded twenty Yummy Gummys and a bag of Buggy Bonbons for a time machine.



I love the language. It is so expressive. So intelligent. I'm not sure intelligent is the right word. Is there a word that means clever but that also means really, really fun? The language and style has a rhythm to it. It just makes for a fun read-aloud because the words--the sounds--are so fun to say.

For example,

They plotted and planned. They mixed and matched.
They stood back and admired their work.
It was a mighty fine time machine, and it was ready to launch.

Grant set the dials to another time and place. Sam counted backward. Antoine made blast-off noises. Flippers flapped. Wings whapped. Nothing happened.

"We're still here," said Grant.
"It's still now," said Antoine.
"Maybe we've miscalculated," said Sam.
"Maybe it's not a rockety kind of time machine."
"It's rickety," said Grant.
"It's rackety," said Antoine.
But definitely not rockety, they all agreed.
"Back to work, boys."



I just loved this one cover to cover. The language. The style. The characters. The premise. And the magical ending. Not that I'll ever tell you if this group succeeds on their mission!

Definitely recommended!

[Terry]

Over at Young Readers, Becky characterized A Mighty Fine Time Machine like this: "I love the language. It is so expressive. So intelligent. I'm not sure intelligent is the right word. Is there a word that means clever but that also means really, really fun?" Makes it a must read. Here's her full review.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I LOVE this one. I've always loved her work ... A Splendid Friend, Indeed ... was super cute and also involved reading.

But this one ties in imagination and books and a bookmobile and fun words like bamboozled or hoozie-doozie.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

An aardvark named Grant and an armadillo named Antoine want to use a big cardboard box to create a time machine! With the help of their friend Samantha, an anteater, they work hard and try many times to make it work. After several times of trying, Samantha creates a bookmobile and she believes it is the perfect time machine.

[Amy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several animals think they have a time machine but no matter what they try, it just doesn't work. Maybe it isn't a time machine? Maybe it is something else? Librarians will like the ending. Great for a box storytime or a storytime about imagination.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming! Three friends try to build a time machine from a cardboard box. "Flippers flapped. Wings whapped. Nothing happened." The language is fun and the ending is a nice surprise, especially for booklovers!

[Teresa Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

An aardvark, armadillo, and an anteater endeavor to build a time machine out of a cardboard box and various machine parts. Unfortunately they fail and wind up making another successful item from the failed time machine.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Texas 2X2
A gaggle of animal's imaginations, a time machine turned into a book mobile at the end...
The message is great but most probably lost on the intended audience, if my youngest son is any proof.

[Drew Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creative story about trying to build a time machine. Children love using their imagination for things like this and helps them know that they may not be able to build something like a time machine but can accomplish something really simple that will be just as fun to play with.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three animal friends and a good bit of imaginative play, when the plan fails they turn to a new idea. A book lovers book and a few good laughs.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book about a box and imagination. The only problem is it never really works. Until they turn it into.....must read. Ages No spoilers but librarian. Ages 5+

[Natasha North · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for library-related storytimes or imagination

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three friends try to build a time machine out of a cardboard box after reading about them but it doens't work. Ultimately it is turned in cardboard book mobile. Cute with good rhyming for storytime

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not an accelerated reader's book.
Imagination can create tremendous fun!

[Christine Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

An aardvark, an anteater, and an armadillo attempt to travel back in time when they turn a big box into a time machine. www.hcpl.net

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read at Tales for Twos and Threes on 7/29/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read aloud for about kindergarten. I loved the vocabulary, fun nearly inventive words would tie in to make a great context clue lesson.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could be more cool than to turn a box into a time machine that doesn't work, then into a bookmobile that does work? Cute story with cute cartooney animals.

[Morgan Groth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book for read aloud in any grade. It's a great book to encourage reading because it's about how reading can take you to new and interesting places. You can learn so much from books.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

W= I=
NR, watercolor
Imagination play

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple story about friendship, play, and creativity made even more enjoyable by Bloom's unique illustrations.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bookmobile? Bookmobile!

[Tina B · Rating 3 out of 5]

box, books, reading, animals, bookmobile from time machine, good elementary level read

[Dotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A librarian favorite with surprise ending!