Christopher

by Richard M. Koff

"Christopher is 13 and often too smart for his own good. He hates school and can’t seem to stay out of trouble. On a dare he knocks on a door to a house all his friends say is haunted and meets a strange, quiet man who calls himself the Headmaster.The Headmaster starts Christopher on a series of lessons unlike anything he was taught in school. He learns how to move objects with his mind alone, how to read other people’s thoughts, he becomes invisible or shrinks to the size of a pencil.It’s not just for fun. The Headmaster has a mission for Christopher that will change his life forever."

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1981

Reviews

[Denzil Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book, one that my mom picked up at a bookfair in Oklahoma City many years ago, and i read it in high school. It should be included among the classic sci-fi/fantasy books for grades 4-6, but unfortunately, it's out of print, and although I reccomend it to everyone, I don't think it will ever gain the popularity it deserves until someone repreints it. Meanwhile, it can be gotten easily from Amazon or borders :)

As for a plot, Christopher, on a dare, goes into this deserted house and finds a man living there who has been waiting for him, apparently. He is a teacher, and, through Merlin-like abilities, teachers Christopher about himself and about life in general.

This is one of those books that, if my house ever caught on fire, and I had time to, I would grab it (and my signed copy of Eragon). I know right where it is.

[Nette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I read this book was an elementary school and I loved it so much that once I got older I had to own it myself. So glad I did. In fact, it's about time I read it again.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than when I read it as a kid because I could appreciate more what the moral was meant to be.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books growing up, and so glad I still have my copy. Well worth the read. It is pretty short, and packed with a lot going on.

[Jamie Gartner · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVERY kid should read this book. It changed my life and helped me understand myself and others more than I can ever express. The new title and cover are TERRIBLE b/c it keeps pre-teens and teens from reading it, but it has an amazing message about learning empathy, understanding, and how to step into someone else's shoes. Christopher is a kid who acts out because he thinks everyone hates him anyway so why not - but he learns how to get into people's minds and learns that people actually love him, but are scared for him. He learns why people act the way they do and how his actions affect others. I read it when I was a pre-teen and I have never forgotten what that book helped me to understand - especially as a person dealing with mental illness.

[Kristopher]

I cannot give this book a fair review right now, since it's been years since I read it. But both my brother and I loved it when we read it a long time ago (it was just called Christopher then; I don't know why they changed it - seems it must be a movie). I would give it four, I think, considering how long the story and title have stayed with me. Of course, my name's Kristopher, so that probably had something to do with the attachment. In any case, I know this would be a good read for elementary school students. If I were to rate it for that age, I would give it a four. But this is all from 15 years memory.