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Flinkwater #2
The Forgetting Machine
People all over Flinkwater are losing their memories—and it’s up to Ginger to figure out what’s going on—in this sequel to the “quirky, dryly funny” ( Booklist ) The Flinkwater Factor from National Book Award–winning author Pete Hautman.
Absentmindedness in Flinkwater, a town overflowing with eccentric scientists and engineers, is nothing new. Recently, however, the number of confused, forgetful citizens has been increasing, and no one seems to know why. Ginger Crump figures it’s none of her business. She has her own problems. Like the strange cat that’s been following her around—a cat that seems to be able to read. And the report for school due Monday. And the fact that every digital book in Flinkwater has been vandalized by a fanatical censor, forcing Ginger to the embarrassingly retro alternative of reading books printed on dead trees.
But when Ginger’s true love and future husband Billy Bates completely forgets who she is, things suddenly get serious, and Ginger swings into action.
Absentmindedness in Flinkwater, a town overflowing with eccentric scientists and engineers, is nothing new. Recently, however, the number of confused, forgetful citizens has been increasing, and no one seems to know why. Ginger Crump figures it’s none of her business. She has her own problems. Like the strange cat that’s been following her around—a cat that seems to be able to read. And the report for school due Monday. And the fact that every digital book in Flinkwater has been vandalized by a fanatical censor, forcing Ginger to the embarrassingly retro alternative of reading books printed on dead trees.
But when Ginger’s true love and future husband Billy Bates completely forgets who she is, things suddenly get serious, and Ginger swings into action.
- GenresScience Fiction
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
8 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Pete Hautman
60 books358 followersPeter Murray Hautman is an American author best known for his novels for young adults. One of them, Godless, won the 2004 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The National Book Foundation summary is, "A teenage boy decides to invent a new religion with a new god."
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 12, 2020
Sometimes middle grade books are so good like this one. Actually I didn't know when I bought this book, I thought it was an adult fiction. The story's quirky, smart, funny and interesting that's why I finished it within a day 😆
June 15, 2017
Hautman, Pete The Forgetting Machine, 216 pages. SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS, 2016. $16.99. Language:G (0 swears 0 “f”) Mature Content: G Violence: G
Ginger Crump has an essay due Monday on why Flinkwater, Iowa is named Flinkwater. But she gets sidetracked and starts to read Charlotte's Web on her tablet which is an e-book but it looks like it got hacked. All of the animals have been changed to children! Ginger is mad about this but everyone in her town is forgetting who they are! A tutor named Mr.Rausch has been assigned to teach Billy about American history whose. Billy is Ginger’s boyfriend. Mr.Rausch uses a method called REMEMBER for tutoring.Billy forgets who Ginger is after the tutoring session. Can Ginger save Flinkwater or will everyone forget who they are?
Although this is the second book of the series the author does a good job. This mystery book was very well written and had a great story, very unusual school. I liked how weird, interesting, and funky this story was.
EL, MS - ADVISABLE 8th Grade Student Reviewer BK
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
Ginger Crump has an essay due Monday on why Flinkwater, Iowa is named Flinkwater. But she gets sidetracked and starts to read Charlotte's Web on her tablet which is an e-book but it looks like it got hacked. All of the animals have been changed to children! Ginger is mad about this but everyone in her town is forgetting who they are! A tutor named Mr.Rausch has been assigned to teach Billy about American history whose. Billy is Ginger’s boyfriend. Mr.Rausch uses a method called REMEMBER for tutoring.Billy forgets who Ginger is after the tutoring session. Can Ginger save Flinkwater or will everyone forget who they are?
Although this is the second book of the series the author does a good job. This mystery book was very well written and had a great story, very unusual school. I liked how weird, interesting, and funky this story was.
EL, MS - ADVISABLE 8th Grade Student Reviewer BK
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
March 3, 2022
I hope you enjoy the further adventures of Ginger Crump and friends in this second Flinkwater novel. "It's not everyday you have to deal with an angry librarian, a flying disc, a raging bull, and a mad scientist trying to replace your memories with an ancient Greek poem." It may not be every day but with Pete Hautman it will be a great day.
January 21, 2018
Grant and I read this book together after we enjoyed the first book in the series, "Flinkwater Factor". It was a fun follow-up to the first book, although I think you could also read and understand it without reading the first story.
June 14, 2017
It is awesome.
January 21, 2018
4th to 6th grade level
its a good mystery type novel that involves technology and a device that somebody believes will help you remember poetry, documents, ect. ; but......, it turns out to make you forget things.
its a good mystery type novel that involves technology and a device that somebody believes will help you remember poetry, documents, ect. ; but......, it turns out to make you forget things.
February 19, 2017
In this followup to The Flinkwater Factor we once again see Ginger and Billy proving that sometimes it takes a (wickedly smart and smartaleky) kid to solve a mystery or two. Ginger is a strong personality, brash and sometimes pushy, but with the highest of intentions. Billy is affable and, while a victim of the rash of forgetting to the point that he doesn't even remember Ginger, he is up for being her sidekick once again. Like the previous book there are side mysteries and subplots galore, all showing off our duo's intelligence and (often hilarious) resourcefulness. I have to say that the town and its quirky folk are almost a character in itself, with all the geniuses and gadgets abounding. I hope that there will be more books in the Flinkwater universe. I am reminded a bit of the Sammy Keyes books but with bright red hair, more wackiness, and even more dry humor. It would be great if this series were as long running!
October 17, 2016
A Second Episode That Assumes You Are Familiar With the Set-Up
The first book in this series is "The Flinkwater Factor". It is a smart and sophisticated, very crisp and funny, science based high-tech action story. I enjoyed and admired it very much. This second book in the series features a plot that is very,very similar to the plot of the first book. It features all of the same characters. However, because everything about Flinkwater and its citizens was set out thoroughly in the first book, the set-up and development of the main characters is given very short shrift in this volume. That's fine if you're a fan who just wants to revisit Flinkwater and our heroine Ginger. If you are reading this book first, (and it works well enough as a stand-alone), then you may miss a lot of the charm of the series. I guess that's a potential problem with all sequels, but it's especially a concern here because the book adds nothing to what we already know about Flinkwater, Ginger, her sidekick/boyfriend Billy, and Ginger's parents.
That said, Ginger remains one of the most engaging and refreshing middle grade heroines I've read lately, and may be the science/geek/tech girl that every cultural commentator has been looking for. She knows her science, is comfortable with computing and engineering, offers a lot of witty commentary on science nerd culture, and totally holds her own as the manic action unfolds. As her sidekick, Ginger has Billy, the super genius guy on whom she crushes, and who has no idea that he is her boyfriend.
As before, there is an overarching plot of sorts, that mainly serves to string together a number of episodes and sub-plots. That's a pretty clever strategy for a middle grade book, because there are natural breaks and the plotting doesn't get too convoluted or tedious. This almost-episodic what-will-happen-next? approach suits the material and the narrator very well.
So, I liked this book because I liked the first book and that goodwill carried over. Had I just read this one I'm not sure I would have been that impressed. Probably a good reason to try to start with "The Flinkwater Factor". (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
The first book in this series is "The Flinkwater Factor". It is a smart and sophisticated, very crisp and funny, science based high-tech action story. I enjoyed and admired it very much. This second book in the series features a plot that is very,very similar to the plot of the first book. It features all of the same characters. However, because everything about Flinkwater and its citizens was set out thoroughly in the first book, the set-up and development of the main characters is given very short shrift in this volume. That's fine if you're a fan who just wants to revisit Flinkwater and our heroine Ginger. If you are reading this book first, (and it works well enough as a stand-alone), then you may miss a lot of the charm of the series. I guess that's a potential problem with all sequels, but it's especially a concern here because the book adds nothing to what we already know about Flinkwater, Ginger, her sidekick/boyfriend Billy, and Ginger's parents.
That said, Ginger remains one of the most engaging and refreshing middle grade heroines I've read lately, and may be the science/geek/tech girl that every cultural commentator has been looking for. She knows her science, is comfortable with computing and engineering, offers a lot of witty commentary on science nerd culture, and totally holds her own as the manic action unfolds. As her sidekick, Ginger has Billy, the super genius guy on whom she crushes, and who has no idea that he is her boyfriend.
As before, there is an overarching plot of sorts, that mainly serves to string together a number of episodes and sub-plots. That's a pretty clever strategy for a middle grade book, because there are natural breaks and the plotting doesn't get too convoluted or tedious. This almost-episodic what-will-happen-next? approach suits the material and the narrator very well.
So, I liked this book because I liked the first book and that goodwill carried over. Had I just read this one I'm not sure I would have been that impressed. Probably a good reason to try to start with "The Flinkwater Factor". (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
May 1, 2017
Clever.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews