Finders Keepers

Finders Keepers #1

by Emily Rodda

The quizmaster opened his arms and laughed, straight into Patrick’s eyes. ‘Patrick!’ he shouted. ‘Are you ready to play … Finders Keepers?’
Patrick’s eyes bulged. He licked his lips, swallowed. ‘Yes,’ he squeaked.
‘Well, come on over!’ bawled the quizmaster.
And then everything went black.
Patrick is a Finder, someone who can cross the barrier between two worlds and retrieve lost objects. He’s been chosen in a game of chance, but he'll need more than luck to win, and time is running out.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Science Fiction, Adventure, Middle Grade, Australia

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Emily Rodda (real name Jennifer Rowe) was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1973 with an MA (Hons) in English Literature. Moving into a publishing career, first as a book editor, and finally as a publisher at Angus & Robertson, Rodda's first book was published in 1984.

Reviews

[✨ jami ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SUCH A GOOD BOOK i read it in primary school and I loved it omg I can't believe I have finally rediscovered it's name this is so wild. SUCH a cool book omg

[Sim ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

✔️a book about time travel (kinda lol)

🌟🌟🌟3 stars

I get why I loved this book in primary school, it's silly, adventurous with a little bit of mystery. Re-"reading" it definitely brought back major nostalgia. The storyline is pretty terrible though and the narration was horrible on Audible haha so would not recommend that... but good fun!

[Lumi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recall the TV show better than the book but I liked both as a kid. To this day, I have a fondness for the name "Estelle" and whenever I lose something, particularly socks, I always joke that it must have gone to "the other side". I'm usually the only one who gets the reference, but that's okay. Finders Keepers has pretty much convinced me that the washing machine is masquerading as a time barrier.

[Jess Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

IM REMEMBERING ALL OF MY CHILDHOOD BOOKS AHH

[Emkoshka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this book so vividly from my childhood; I think I read it in one sitting while sick in bed one day. Twenty-four years later (!), I found it just as captivating and magical as that first time, and while I was transported instantly back into the key settings of a suburban shopping centre and a television studio, I'd forgotten the puzzle clues and characters and enjoyed getting reacquainted. Could there be a cooler character than Boopie Cupid?! But really, you had me at 'time travel treasure hunt'! :)

I'm currently refining my book collection in preparation for a long-term overseas trip and it's getting me all nostalgic for these childhood favourites which made me so passionate about reading in the first place. So glad to have found this one again; it's a keeper. ;)

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

i hardcore loved the shit out of this book when i was little.

[Gaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book to re-read. I read this a very long time ago and had (conveniently) forgotten the clues that Patrick had to solve. It was fun to have the opportunity to work them out again. I like how different this book is from others. It is well written and the characters are lovely. So much is covered in this book that it would make for great discussion. Family, sibling relationships, honesty, loyalty, friendship, ownership etc. I must admit though, this time when I read the story I did notice that it felt dated - especially the technology element. Despite this, it is still a great story that my grade fives of 2012 really enjoyed (the story being written at least ten years before they were born).

I haven't ever read the sequel, The Timekeepers, so I am going to borrow that one from school next!

[Karen Field · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want something fun to read. As I enjoy books for younger readers, I thought I'd give this two-book series a go - the second book is entitled "The Timekeeper". Besides, as I write for this age group, it's a great way to do research too.

Anyway, Finders Keepers is about a boy who agrees to enter a TV show competition. The thing is the people running the show live on the other side of the barrier and Patrick has to go through to that world in order to play.

The story is for eight to twelve year olds. It's quick and easy to read. The story itself is fun and gets the imagination working.

Recommended.

[Rebecca Altmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given it was published in 1990 it has aged quite well and nearly 30 (!) years on the minimal descriptions of the technology means it doesn't need translation for a child of 2017 and the story works as well now as it did then.
Rodda does puzzles well and we had fun guessing the items early in the book.
Another read-aloud that we both enjoyed. We will read the sequel soon.

[Ebaa. · Rating 4 out of 5]

يتكلم عن ولد اسمه باتريك يحب يلعب بألعاب الڤيديو
وفي يوم حصل على دعوة من لعبة اسمها finders keepers كل الا عليه عشان يفوز بهدايا رائعة يروح لقناة الثامنة الساعة ١٠ يوم السبت صباحًا لكن في شي غريب في الدعوة لان عروض كثيرة في مدينة باتريك
رأيي فيه جميل جدًا ولكن واجهت صعوبة قليلة في اللغة

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Above average for a kid's book.

[Rebecca Maddison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowan of Rin put me in a Emily Rodda mood so I decided to read Finders Keepers.
It isn't as adult friendly as the 'Rowan of Rin' series is, but it is still a great little story to read to your kids. It is about a boy, Patrick, who is brought into a parallel world to play a seeker in a game show on tv called Finders Keepers.
There is a barrier that divides our world from this one which sometimes has objects fall through. It is the seekers job to find these items for a prize.
As is common with an adventure, not all goes to plan and Patrick finds himself playing for much more than the prize he desires.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange but interesting take on the barrier between worlds, and is still remarkably current despite being first published in 1990. I gave it to my 7 year old son to read, after reading it myself, and he enjoyed it. Patrick is a solid main character and his family are equally likeable and interesting. I liked the element of riddles to the Finders Keepers game and the way the plot unfolded. Emily Rodda is a talented writer and this book is no exception.

[Duane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice friendly book for any reader. The author does a nice job of making all the characters enjoyable and the plot is very interesting. It follows a young boy who finds himself competing in a game show that involves another dimension from his own. No morals or deep thinking is forced on you, it's just a nice relaxing story.

[Ben Chenoweth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book for younger readers. I was very quickly gripped by the plot, and while some of the clues (and the twists) were somewhat obvious, the pleasure was in no way diminished. I think Kate will enjoy reading this one to herself soon!

[Mahsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتاب برای نوجوانانه و من بعد یازده سال برای چندمین بار خوندمش.
یه جورایی میخواد نوجوونا رو با نظریه وجود دنیای موازی با دنیای ما آشنا کنه و بگه آره همچین چیزی هم ممکنه.
در کل یکی از کتابای جذاب برای این رده سنیه

[Bethany-Rose Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bizarre but… actually no just bizarre. If I was a little child I probably would have liked this, so I am not being negative and at least it was original, something a lot of kids books don’t do nowadays!

[Elijah · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice to pass the time :)

I finished it in one day in one sitting. it was fairly entertaining and kept me hooked the entire time. loved the twists. perfect for kids—especially if you want them to get into reading.

[Zahra Moinfar · Rating 5 out of 5]

دبستان
راهنمایی
دبیرستان
دانشگاه :پــی

[Kimiya Nik · Rating 3 out of 5]

فضای کتاب فضای رویاهای بچه های اواخر دهه 60 و اوایل دهه 70 بود، چون الان دیگه تو هر خونه ای یه کامپیوتر هست، اما در کل بد نبود.

[Catriona]

This is book was the bee's knees when I was in primary school. I don't want to read it again, as it would most probably ruin my good memories of it!

[Sara Pahlevani · Rating 4 out of 5]

من هنوز گاهی فکر میکنم چیزایی که گم میکنم رفتن تو یه جهان موازی و منتظرن که از یه دریچه به این طرف انداخته بشن.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this from my childhood. Reread it in one gulp. Only slightly dated now.

[Rajie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and cute little book. I was looking through a friend's bookshelves (as you do) and she insisted I try this one, as she loved it when she was a child. I am glad I read it!

[⭑ ๋࣭ Aliana ๋࣭⭑ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i used to read this when i was little! reread it again this time around, and it still doesn't fail to bring back the nostalgia. <3

[Sienna Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shaped me.

[Sian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think about this book every time I lose a sock in the wash.

[Godly Gadfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worthy award-winning sci-fi story for kids! (5 stars)

Emily Rodda's "Finders Keepers" won the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 1991, and deservedly so.

While watching a TV set in a shopping mall, a computer loving boy called Patrick receives a special invitation to take part on a game show called "Finders Keepers". He finds himself in another world on the other side of a "time barrier", through which lost items are transported. He is sent back to his own world as a "Finder" to locate several important treasures that belong in the world of Finders Keepers.

It's a brilliant concept, and a well told story that is engaging and entertaining. Back in 1991 it even spawned a 10 part television show that tells the story of the novel and its follow-up. The sequel "The Timekeeper" is not nearly as good, and isn't worth reading unless you are really keen on continuing the adventures beyond the time barrier.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to this book as an audiobook! I read it when I was a lot younger and it was probably my first introduction to time travel or different worlds. It was great to hear about the ‘clicker’ on the television (something my tv used to have!) which aren’t around anymore. I love that the use of technology is important but hasn’t dated too much.

[Rebecca Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I'm biased because I read this growing up, and I remember the TV show. If you want to see a relatively harmless, almost Hunger Games (but not really) style book with low stakes, this is the one. It's believable, livable and a pretty fair indication of what growing up in the 90s was like (but without the excitement of getting on television, no matter the dimension).