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Antsy Bonano #2
Antsy Does Time
Fueled by friendship and sympathy, Antsy Bonano signs a month of his life over to his dying classmate Gunnar Umlaut. Soon everyone at school follows suit, giving new meaning to the idea of living on borrowed time. But does Gunnar really have six months to live, or is news of his imminent death greatly exaggerated? When a family member suffers a heart attack after donating two years to Gunnar, Antsy wonders if he has tempted fate by playing God. Fans of the Schwa will welcome favorite and new characters in this wholly fresh tale, which is as touchingly poignant as it is darkly comical.
247 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2008
51 people are currently reading
1359 people want to read
About the author
Neal Shusterman
72 books30k followersAward-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
July 7, 2017
It's always a joy to discover a new favorite author, and one of my (relatively) recent finds is Neal Shusterman, whose The Schwa Was Here was my first read of this year, and a book I simply adored.
This sequel too had pretty much all the ingredients that had made the first book so perfect. What it did not have was the novelty factor and of course, The Schwa! :)
I was going to give this 4 stars but I just happened to go through all the status updates I had posted for this book and they really cracked me up! So, just for the insanely comic writing that is so unique to Neal Shusterman, here goes another 5 stars! (^.^)
A special shout out to the Texas A&M University Libraries, for getting this for me upon request! Whoop!
This sequel too had pretty much all the ingredients that had made the first book so perfect. What it did not have was the novelty factor and of course, The Schwa! :)
I was going to give this 4 stars but I just happened to go through all the status updates I had posted for this book and they really cracked me up! So, just for the insanely comic writing that is so unique to Neal Shusterman, here goes another 5 stars! (^.^)
A special shout out to the Texas A&M University Libraries, for getting this for me upon request! Whoop!
February 23, 2023
Nowhere are Neal Shusterman's Brooklyn roots more apparent than in his Antsy Bonano books. Shusterman has said Antsy is his favorite character, and I can see why: the fourteen-year-old city kid is the embodiment of Brooklyn attitude and charm, toughness tempered by uncommon intelligence and sparkling wit. If Calvin Schwa felt like the main character of The Schwa Was Here, Antsy is definitely the guy in Antsy Does Time, a celebration of urban living, family, and relationships with the people you call friends, whether they're eccentric or relatively normal. Familial obligation and the determination not to be defeated by your demons isn't always a ticket to ride to a happy ending, but you've got to go as far as you can on it and never stop looking for another vehicle that might take you the rest of the way even when it feels like all is lost. Antsy learned much about life from Calvin Schwa, and another friend's experience is ready to teach him in this book. With Neal Shusterman guiding the action, you don't want to miss it.
"The difference between you and me...is that when I look at the world, I see opportunity. When you look at the world, you're just trying to find a place to urinate."
—Old Man Crawley, Antsy Does Time, P. 155
A semi-close brush with death on Thanksgiving unsettles Antsy, but not as badly as hearing that his friend, Gunnar Ümlaut, has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia will take his life in six months, Gunnar says. Antsy is saddened, but bewildered by Gunnar's reaction to his own imminent demise. Most kids would be depressed, but Gunnar treats his illness matter-of-factly, candidly bringing up the topic of death all the time. Hoping to shift Gunnar's focus in a more positive direction, Antsy writes up a contract bequeathing him one month of his own life to extend the half year Gunnar has left, and Gunnar takes the offer seriously. When other kids at school hear about Antsy's idea, they sign over months of their own to lengthen Gunnar's prognosis, and the symbolic act of charity becomes a fad. The kindheartedness of Antsy's original gesture isn't lost on Gunnar's sister, Kjersten (pronounced "Kirsten"), a popular, wickedly smart girl who doesn't let the two years she is older than Antsy stop her from thanking him with a public kiss on the lips. Antsy is stunned by the liplock, but like every guy at school, he's into Kjersten, and it feels like a dream when she shows interest in him as a boyfriend. As Antsy continues collecting signatures pledging Gunnar months of other kids' lives, he begins to wonder if his dedication to the project is about cheering Gunnar up or impressing Kjersten.
"Truth can only be served from a scalding kettle; whether you blister or make tea is up to you."
—Antsy Does Time, P. 104
Antsy's father now manages a restaurant owned by Old Man Crawley, putting in more work hours than ever, and Antsy is called on to donate a lot of free labor. He doesn't mind busing tables—he's one of Brooklyn's premier water-pourers—but hates that his father never has time off. Antsy sees that the situation with Gunnar's father is worse, though, when he starts hanging out with Gunnar and Kjersten at their house. Things are tense when Mr. Ümlaut isn't around and more so on the rare occasions he is, a lawyer who's lost his job and turned to vice for an escape from reality. But something else suspicious is going on around the Ümlaut residence; Antsy just can't quite pinpoint what it is. The time-donation project at school grows by the day, kids giving larger chunks of time and complicating the contract with customized requests that have to be written in, and what began as a silly way to divert Gunnar's fixation on death turns into a behemoth that Antsy can't handle. It falls apart on the night of a school assembly in Gunnar's honor, the night Antsy is supposed to present a speech rallying the student body around their dying classmate. Crisis has a way of striking without warning, a rattlesnake delivering its mortal bite in the middle of a desert. Is death closer than Antsy or Gunnar could have guessed? The Bonano and Ümlaut families will be permanently altered by what happens next, though with opposite end results. If you're lucky, you survive your unexpected encounter with the grim reaper, but you have to make your second chance count or it's useless. As Antsy and Gunnar learn, not everyone can cope with that pressure.
"There are some things I don't understand, and don't think I ever will. I don't understand how a person can give up so totally and completely that they dive right into the heart of a black hole...And I don't understand how pride can be more important than love."
—Antsy Does Time, P. 222
The realization of a personal dream usually dismantles the illusion that everything would be right in our world if we caught our big break. Antsy's father wanted to run a restaurant for years, but the day-to-day of it is wearing him down. He's a slave to his own eatery. "For my father, the restaurant was like the crabgrass in Gunnar's backyard. It had taken over everything." We build up our fantasy future into a utopia we're convinced we'd take full advantage of if it fell into our lap, but rarely is success as unencumbered as we hope. For many, the idea of "Life would be great if only..." is their religion, and talking people out of religious conviction is next to impossible. Antsy has his own flaws to work through, adeptly highlighted by Mr. Bonano's critique of Mrs. Bonano's cooking. She constantly tweaks her recipes even after getting them right, aiming to somehow upgrade the dish. Antsy's father calls it "Restless Recipe syndrome", and that's Antsy's problem as he expands his time-donation program beyond sustainability, not satisfied with how it has already improved his social life. "I'm like my father in lots of ways, I guess, but in this respect I'm like my mother. Even when the recipe's working perfectly, I can never leave well enough alone." Most of us can relate. If we're winning at life but can't keep ourselves from messing with the formula until we ruin what we had, then we need to examine ourselves and ask if we understand our own desires. Hoping for something with all your heart and then sabotaging it when you finally get it is a devastating way to go from riches to rags. It can leave you feeling worse than before you attained what you sought.
"I guess once you start parting with all the things you think hold your life together, it's hard to stop—and then you find out your life holds together all by itself."
—Antsy Does Time, P. 231
Antsy Does Time isn't as good as The Schwa Was Here, but Neal Shusterman's inimitable qualities are still evident. The scenes between Antsy and Kjersten are nice, especially at the end, and I considered rounding my two-and-a-half star rating up instead of down. Antsy is entertaining, and so is Gunnar in a way that's nothing like Calvin Schwa. Antsy Does Time has important thoughts to impart, as any Neal Shusterman novel does, and I have great expectations for the third Antsy Bonano book, Ship Out of Luck. If Neal Shusterman tells a story, I should make time to read it; that presumption hasn't failed me yet. And with Antsy as the main character, I can't go wrong.
"The difference between you and me...is that when I look at the world, I see opportunity. When you look at the world, you're just trying to find a place to urinate."
—Old Man Crawley, Antsy Does Time, P. 155
A semi-close brush with death on Thanksgiving unsettles Antsy, but not as badly as hearing that his friend, Gunnar Ümlaut, has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia will take his life in six months, Gunnar says. Antsy is saddened, but bewildered by Gunnar's reaction to his own imminent demise. Most kids would be depressed, but Gunnar treats his illness matter-of-factly, candidly bringing up the topic of death all the time. Hoping to shift Gunnar's focus in a more positive direction, Antsy writes up a contract bequeathing him one month of his own life to extend the half year Gunnar has left, and Gunnar takes the offer seriously. When other kids at school hear about Antsy's idea, they sign over months of their own to lengthen Gunnar's prognosis, and the symbolic act of charity becomes a fad. The kindheartedness of Antsy's original gesture isn't lost on Gunnar's sister, Kjersten (pronounced "Kirsten"), a popular, wickedly smart girl who doesn't let the two years she is older than Antsy stop her from thanking him with a public kiss on the lips. Antsy is stunned by the liplock, but like every guy at school, he's into Kjersten, and it feels like a dream when she shows interest in him as a boyfriend. As Antsy continues collecting signatures pledging Gunnar months of other kids' lives, he begins to wonder if his dedication to the project is about cheering Gunnar up or impressing Kjersten.
"Truth can only be served from a scalding kettle; whether you blister or make tea is up to you."
—Antsy Does Time, P. 104
Antsy's father now manages a restaurant owned by Old Man Crawley, putting in more work hours than ever, and Antsy is called on to donate a lot of free labor. He doesn't mind busing tables—he's one of Brooklyn's premier water-pourers—but hates that his father never has time off. Antsy sees that the situation with Gunnar's father is worse, though, when he starts hanging out with Gunnar and Kjersten at their house. Things are tense when Mr. Ümlaut isn't around and more so on the rare occasions he is, a lawyer who's lost his job and turned to vice for an escape from reality. But something else suspicious is going on around the Ümlaut residence; Antsy just can't quite pinpoint what it is. The time-donation project at school grows by the day, kids giving larger chunks of time and complicating the contract with customized requests that have to be written in, and what began as a silly way to divert Gunnar's fixation on death turns into a behemoth that Antsy can't handle. It falls apart on the night of a school assembly in Gunnar's honor, the night Antsy is supposed to present a speech rallying the student body around their dying classmate. Crisis has a way of striking without warning, a rattlesnake delivering its mortal bite in the middle of a desert. Is death closer than Antsy or Gunnar could have guessed? The Bonano and Ümlaut families will be permanently altered by what happens next, though with opposite end results. If you're lucky, you survive your unexpected encounter with the grim reaper, but you have to make your second chance count or it's useless. As Antsy and Gunnar learn, not everyone can cope with that pressure.
"There are some things I don't understand, and don't think I ever will. I don't understand how a person can give up so totally and completely that they dive right into the heart of a black hole...And I don't understand how pride can be more important than love."
—Antsy Does Time, P. 222
The realization of a personal dream usually dismantles the illusion that everything would be right in our world if we caught our big break. Antsy's father wanted to run a restaurant for years, but the day-to-day of it is wearing him down. He's a slave to his own eatery. "For my father, the restaurant was like the crabgrass in Gunnar's backyard. It had taken over everything." We build up our fantasy future into a utopia we're convinced we'd take full advantage of if it fell into our lap, but rarely is success as unencumbered as we hope. For many, the idea of "Life would be great if only..." is their religion, and talking people out of religious conviction is next to impossible. Antsy has his own flaws to work through, adeptly highlighted by Mr. Bonano's critique of Mrs. Bonano's cooking. She constantly tweaks her recipes even after getting them right, aiming to somehow upgrade the dish. Antsy's father calls it "Restless Recipe syndrome", and that's Antsy's problem as he expands his time-donation program beyond sustainability, not satisfied with how it has already improved his social life. "I'm like my father in lots of ways, I guess, but in this respect I'm like my mother. Even when the recipe's working perfectly, I can never leave well enough alone." Most of us can relate. If we're winning at life but can't keep ourselves from messing with the formula until we ruin what we had, then we need to examine ourselves and ask if we understand our own desires. Hoping for something with all your heart and then sabotaging it when you finally get it is a devastating way to go from riches to rags. It can leave you feeling worse than before you attained what you sought.
"I guess once you start parting with all the things you think hold your life together, it's hard to stop—and then you find out your life holds together all by itself."
—Antsy Does Time, P. 231
Antsy Does Time isn't as good as The Schwa Was Here, but Neal Shusterman's inimitable qualities are still evident. The scenes between Antsy and Kjersten are nice, especially at the end, and I considered rounding my two-and-a-half star rating up instead of down. Antsy is entertaining, and so is Gunnar in a way that's nothing like Calvin Schwa. Antsy Does Time has important thoughts to impart, as any Neal Shusterman novel does, and I have great expectations for the third Antsy Bonano book, Ship Out of Luck. If Neal Shusterman tells a story, I should make time to read it; that presumption hasn't failed me yet. And with Antsy as the main character, I can't go wrong.
December 28, 2010
In this sequel to The Schwa was Here, Antsy narrates the story of his friendship with Gunnar, his sister Kjersten, and his parents. Schwa was touching and so is Gunnar's situation-- as he has six months to live. Antsy is a softie at heart and writes up a contract to donate a month of his life to Gunnar. This then does two things: get's Kjersten, Gunnar's older sister to kiss and date Antsy and friends at school start donating months of their lives as well to keep Gunnar alive.
The entire story is heartwarming and I fell in love with Antsy-- until I learned that Gunnar was faking his illness because his family had bigger problems-- his father lost his job and now has a severe gambling habit and his parents will probably divorce soon, with their mom moving them back to Sweden.
I didn't think I would like the sequel, much like the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, but both were surprisingly strong sequels. I would definitely recommend this humorous romp because Antsy is just so adorable I want to squeeze his cheeks!
"I guess once you start parting with all the things you think hold your life together, it's hard to stop-- and then you find out your life holds together all by itself."
The entire story is heartwarming and I fell in love with Antsy-- until I learned that Gunnar was faking his illness because his family had bigger problems-- his father lost his job and now has a severe gambling habit and his parents will probably divorce soon, with their mom moving them back to Sweden.
I didn't think I would like the sequel, much like the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, but both were surprisingly strong sequels. I would definitely recommend this humorous romp because Antsy is just so adorable I want to squeeze his cheeks!
"I guess once you start parting with all the things you think hold your life together, it's hard to stop-- and then you find out your life holds together all by itself."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2013
Antsy Bonano's intelligently humorous and yet thoughtful banter speaks what may be in the minds and hearts of many teens. His story is relatable and at the same time offers worthwhile topics for reflection. Part of the intelligence in the humour is that the jokes never seem to die, they bounce back at you from unexpected quarters, pages after the original event. This makes for very entertaining reading.
Antsy isn’t perfect, but in the course of this book we see him learn from mistakes and gain a good deal of maturity. Here’s a sample of some of his mistakes, and what he learns from them.
A well-intentioned gesture to donate a month of his life for his terminally ill friend turns into a time-machine circus with everyone, including the school principal, joining the game. Though it spirals a little out of control, it does get Antsy thinking about the value of time and the uselessness of wastes of time spent watching reruns on the couch or destroying simulated nations in computer games.
This leads Antsy to come up with the ingenious notion of “daymares”, that time spent caught up imagining irritating arguments you never had but might have some day, or where you put yourself through worst-case scenarios. He is honest with himself when he realises his “daymare” about his friend's future funeral was all about himself and how much a girl he likes would respect him. Drawing attention to this self-centred form of daydreaming could be helpful for many teens.
On the topic of relationships, Antsy first notices the slightly older Kjersten for her appearance (including experiencing a ‘brain-scramble’ when he looks at her t-shirt). True to his character, however, he gradually learns more about who she is and the two become good friends. When they start to go out, Antsy realises that Kjersten appreciates his youthfulness because he reminds her of a time when she was happier, so he becomes a skate-board-riding, bad-joke-telling kid to help her forget the complications of her family life. Ultimately, he realises their friendship/relationship doesn’t have much future, but he’s helped her through a tough time and the two remain on good terms.
Antsy has an old-fashioned approach to friendships and relationships in general, and he wisely judges how technology has harmed people’s ability to get to know each other. He says, "That's only because the lack of technology in those days forced people to have to know each other. Now, because of computers, we really don't gotta know anybody, really." (126)
He has a healthy approach to friendships, and even when one friend has conned him, Antsy is eventually forgiving and the friend is grateful.
Antsy has a good relationship with his family—something which is not too common in teen literature—and one sign of this is that they’re aware of things they need to improve, like his father’s preoccupation with work and lack of time for his children. His mother has a sense of humour (also refreshing in a teen novel) which effectively illustrates the mother-son ability to understand one another. Neither Antsy nor his family are very kind to Aunt Mona, but in the circumstances it’s difficult to blame them… she’s a complainer who tends to throw a wet blanket on everything. He learns from her that it’s not good to tell people “your suffering is nowhere near as bad as mine”.
His friend’s family doesn’t have such a happy outcome as Antsy’s own, because their father can’t give up his gambling habit, and ultimately the parents separate. There’s still a glimmer of hope that he’ll look for a job, but his family move back to Sweden without him. This situation is presented realistically and is seen as very sad, and important lessons are learned by Antsy and his friends about the harm of gambling and the damage it can do to family relationships.
All in all it’s a solid contemporary story for teens that just might get them thinking. Reviewed for www.GoodReadingGuide.com
March 3, 2017
From The Page Walker
Antsy, The Family Guy
Looking at the story from a vantage point, it is a series of tragedy with slices of sweet meat in between. Like I said in my previous post , this book is all heart. Once more, Shusterman managed to punch in real life situations, and readers may find some that hits closer to home.
The story started with a tragic accident, when it was supposed to be a day of parade and fun. Among the onlookers were Antsy Bonano and his friends. They were teenagers out there for curiosity’s sake, but not Gunnar Ümlaut, one of Antsy’s classmates. Gunner was out there to watch death.
Gunnar confides to Antsy that he has only six months to live, due to Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia (PMS). Antsy doesn’t know how to handle this kind of information. The good in him wants to do something for Gunnar. It just seemed unfair that death would come after someone so young. It was Monday, at the Ümlaut’s backyard, that Antsy tore a page of his notebook, signing up a month of his life for Gunnar. Yes, that’s how noble our hero is.
The following days, the news travelled like a wildfire in school; it seems everyone wants to sign up months of their lives for Gunnar too. From here on, some things will get better, and some things will get worse. Antsy and Gunnar realized that things are not exactly how they're supposed to be, and mistakes have their consequences.
As much as Shusterman made great efforts to make this book really light and fun to read, I can't help but feel sad due to the tragedies that may strike families. Situations were so life-like; I came close to crying at times.
Again, my love for Antsy went deeper as I get to know him better. I hope to find his next book soon. I hope you find copies of his books too, I do recommend them strongly.
Antsy, The Family Guy
Looking at the story from a vantage point, it is a series of tragedy with slices of sweet meat in between. Like I said in my previous post , this book is all heart. Once more, Shusterman managed to punch in real life situations, and readers may find some that hits closer to home.
The story started with a tragic accident, when it was supposed to be a day of parade and fun. Among the onlookers were Antsy Bonano and his friends. They were teenagers out there for curiosity’s sake, but not Gunnar Ümlaut, one of Antsy’s classmates. Gunner was out there to watch death.
Gunnar confides to Antsy that he has only six months to live, due to Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia (PMS). Antsy doesn’t know how to handle this kind of information. The good in him wants to do something for Gunnar. It just seemed unfair that death would come after someone so young. It was Monday, at the Ümlaut’s backyard, that Antsy tore a page of his notebook, signing up a month of his life for Gunnar. Yes, that’s how noble our hero is.
The following days, the news travelled like a wildfire in school; it seems everyone wants to sign up months of their lives for Gunnar too. From here on, some things will get better, and some things will get worse. Antsy and Gunnar realized that things are not exactly how they're supposed to be, and mistakes have their consequences.
"I always hear people talk about 'dysfunctional families.' It annoys me, because it makes you think that somewhere there's this magical family where everyone gets along, and no one ever screams things they don't mean, and there's never a time when sharp objects should be hidden."
As much as Shusterman made great efforts to make this book really light and fun to read, I can't help but feel sad due to the tragedies that may strike families. Situations were so life-like; I came close to crying at times.
"The best you can really hope for is a family where everyone's problems, big and small, work together. Kind of like an orchestra where every instrument is out of tune, in exactly the same way, so you don't really notice."
Again, my love for Antsy went deeper as I get to know him better. I hope to find his next book soon. I hope you find copies of his books too, I do recommend them strongly.
"-that's when I realized that prayer isn't for God. After all, He doesn't need it. He's out there, or in there, or sitting up there in His firmament, whatever that is, all-knowing and all-powerful, right? He doesn't need us repeating words week after week in His face. If He's there, sure, I'll bet He's listening, but it doesn't change Him. one way or the other.
Instead, we're the ones who are changed by it.
I don't know whether I was just delirious from lack of sleep...but if it is true, what an amazing gift it is!"
April 9, 2010
I had the pleasure of meeting Neal Shusterman in real life. He’s obviously very passionate about what he does and really bonds with some of his characters. Antsy is one of those lucky characters.
Antsy first popped up as a side character in Shusterman’s book The Schwa Was Here, but because Shusterman loved Antsy so much he decided to write him his own book. I can’t blame him because Antsy is quite a character. Anthony “Antsy” Bonano is kind of loud, kind of funny, and always scheming. He has a good heart but of course has to act like a typical teenager and keep some level of bravado up at all times.
In this tale, Antsy gets wrapped up in one of his classmate’s lives more than he could have anticipated. Gunnar Umlaut, a brooding 14-year-old who is originally from Sweden and has an icy coolness about him, begins complaining that he only has months to live because he has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. After witnessing a freak accident, Antsy looks at life in a different light and decides to do something to help Gunnar. He decides to give Gunnar six months of his life. Well, this plan snowballs way out of control. People start giving months from their own lives to help the cause, and because Antsy starts falling for Gunnar’s older sister, he finds himself unable to break free from the out-of-control situation. People are giving time freely and begin using time like stocks to trade and barter with for other things, like doing each other’s homework and getting free food. But one evening something happens that scares everyone who has given time, and people begin trying to get their time back, including a panicked Antsy.
I found myself enjoying Antsy in spite of myself. I don’t know if it’s a compliment or not, but to me, Antsy really feels like it was written by the main character. I believe 14-year-old Antsy is telling us this story. Is it bad that Shusterman writes like a 14-year-old? Hard to say. I can’t say the plot or writing were top level, but in the end, does that even matter since I enjoyed the book and wanted to keep reading it to the end as fast as possible to see what happened? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on who you ask I suppose, but for me, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. The book was fun and even funny in spite of any shortcomings I found.
Shusterman said he has another Antsy book on the way called Antsy Floats. All I know is, Antsy will be on a boat somehow, and I’ll probably end up reading that one, too.
Taken from my blog: libchickreads.wordpress.com
Antsy first popped up as a side character in Shusterman’s book The Schwa Was Here, but because Shusterman loved Antsy so much he decided to write him his own book. I can’t blame him because Antsy is quite a character. Anthony “Antsy” Bonano is kind of loud, kind of funny, and always scheming. He has a good heart but of course has to act like a typical teenager and keep some level of bravado up at all times.
In this tale, Antsy gets wrapped up in one of his classmate’s lives more than he could have anticipated. Gunnar Umlaut, a brooding 14-year-old who is originally from Sweden and has an icy coolness about him, begins complaining that he only has months to live because he has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. After witnessing a freak accident, Antsy looks at life in a different light and decides to do something to help Gunnar. He decides to give Gunnar six months of his life. Well, this plan snowballs way out of control. People start giving months from their own lives to help the cause, and because Antsy starts falling for Gunnar’s older sister, he finds himself unable to break free from the out-of-control situation. People are giving time freely and begin using time like stocks to trade and barter with for other things, like doing each other’s homework and getting free food. But one evening something happens that scares everyone who has given time, and people begin trying to get their time back, including a panicked Antsy.
I found myself enjoying Antsy in spite of myself. I don’t know if it’s a compliment or not, but to me, Antsy really feels like it was written by the main character. I believe 14-year-old Antsy is telling us this story. Is it bad that Shusterman writes like a 14-year-old? Hard to say. I can’t say the plot or writing were top level, but in the end, does that even matter since I enjoyed the book and wanted to keep reading it to the end as fast as possible to see what happened? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on who you ask I suppose, but for me, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. The book was fun and even funny in spite of any shortcomings I found.
Shusterman said he has another Antsy book on the way called Antsy Floats. All I know is, Antsy will be on a boat somehow, and I’ll probably end up reading that one, too.
Taken from my blog: libchickreads.wordpress.com
August 26, 2016
По-прежнему считаю Нила Шустермана одним из лучших детских (подростковых) писателей современности :). И по-прежнему удивляюсь, почему в России ни одно из солидных издательств не издаёт его книги.
Поэтому отдельная огромная благодарность проекту aBookee.ru , которые перевели и озвучили эту книгу ( http://www.abookee.ru/index.php/shust... ). И отдельный "плюс" - это прекрасное исполнение Игоря Князева!
Это вторая прочитанная мною книга трилогии Энси Бонано (первая "Здесь был Шва" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ). Вторая книга ничуть не хуже первой, присутствуют все фирменные шустермановские "фишки":
- прекрасное чувство юмора!
- насыщенность цитатами (в т.ч. отсылками к другим авторским текстам), что придаёт этой "детской" книге иногда неожиданную глубину
- увлекательный сюжет с неожиданными поворотами (читать интересно!)
- прекрасные детские персонажи (конечно же Энси :)), светлые и мудрые не по годам
- отлично изображённый "мир детства", со всеми его тайнами и чудесами
- обязательное вторжение в эту детскую реальность больших взрослых проблем (точнее, проблем с близкими людьми), с которыми дети сталкиваются лицом к лицу, и, конечно же, побеждают. При этом текст - не сказка! Герои книги просто учатся делать правильные (хотя и очень нелёгкие) жизненные выборы. И жизнь вознаграждает (хотя и не всегда) их за эти правильные выборы.
...и точно есть в тексте что-то очень крапивинское ;)) Мне вот лично чтение таких книг помогает заново "включить" что-то доброе и светлое в себе; как бы реактивирует "внутреннего ребенка", готового бороться за идеалы.
Отличная книга! Вот просто включил бы в список обязательного чтения для детей 10-13 лет. И лучше вместе с родителями (не из соображений безопасности, а чтобы и им получить удовольствие :)). Книга учит психологической зрелости, независимо от возраста.
PS ...и конечно же, как фанату тайм-менеджмента, мне очень понравилась идея Энси о сборе времени для больного друга ;) Уж и не знаю, сам Шустерман это придумал, или слышал что-то о "банках времени", но получилось забавно.
Поэтому отдельная огромная благодарность проекту aBookee.ru , которые перевели и озвучили эту книгу ( http://www.abookee.ru/index.php/shust... ). И отдельный "плюс" - это прекрасное исполнение Игоря Князева!
Это вторая прочитанная мною книга трилогии Энси Бонано (первая "Здесь был Шва" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ). Вторая книга ничуть не хуже первой, присутствуют все фирменные шустермановские "фишки":
- прекрасное чувство юмора!
- насыщенность цитатами (в т.ч. отсылками к другим авторским текстам), что придаёт этой "детской" книге иногда неожиданную глубину
- увлекательный сюжет с неожиданными поворотами (читать интересно!)
- прекрасные детские персонажи (конечно же Энси :)), светлые и мудрые не по годам
- отлично изображённый "мир детства", со всеми его тайнами и чудесами
- обязательное вторжение в эту детскую реальность больших взрослых проблем (точнее, проблем с близкими людьми), с которыми дети сталкиваются лицом к лицу, и, конечно же, побеждают. При этом текст - не сказка! Герои книги просто учатся делать правильные (хотя и очень нелёгкие) жизненные выборы. И жизнь вознаграждает (хотя и не всегда) их за эти правильные выборы.
...и точно есть в тексте что-то очень крапивинское ;)) Мне вот лично чтение таких книг помогает заново "включить" что-то доброе и светлое в себе; как бы реактивирует "внутреннего ребенка", готового бороться за идеалы.
Отличная книга! Вот просто включил бы в список обязательного чтения для детей 10-13 лет. И лучше вместе с родителями (не из соображений безопасности, а чтобы и им получить удовольствие :)). Книга учит психологической зрелости, независимо от возраста.
PS ...и конечно же, как фанату тайм-менеджмента, мне очень понравилась идея Энси о сборе времени для больного друга ;) Уж и не знаю, сам Шустерман это придумал, или слышал что-то о "банках времени", но получилось забавно.
August 17, 2015
This one was even better than 'The Schwa Was Here'!
November 6, 2018
Antsy is a fun character to follow and all of his adventures are both entertaining and enlightening. This book had me laughing out loud a lot of the time, but also had some serious moments that left me with deep questions to consider. I appreciate when a story can give so much.
In the first story, Antsy made friends with the Schwa. Now he has made friends with Gunnar and Kjersten Umlaut. But as Antsy gets closer to this brother and sister, he realizes that things aren't quite what they seem to be on the surface.
I love the Bonano family. They remind me a lot of my own family, just smaller. They are loud and obnoxious with each other, but they don't let their anger live for long because they care about each other too much for that.
Neal Shusterman's narration was just as good here as in the first installment. It's always fun to hear an author read their own story. It adds something to the experience, somehow, knowing that the person who wrote the words is now sharing their voice as well.
In the first story, Antsy made friends with the Schwa. Now he has made friends with Gunnar and Kjersten Umlaut. But as Antsy gets closer to this brother and sister, he realizes that things aren't quite what they seem to be on the surface.
I love the Bonano family. They remind me a lot of my own family, just smaller. They are loud and obnoxious with each other, but they don't let their anger live for long because they care about each other too much for that.
Neal Shusterman's narration was just as good here as in the first installment. It's always fun to hear an author read their own story. It adds something to the experience, somehow, knowing that the person who wrote the words is now sharing their voice as well.
January 29, 2018
Wasn't able to track down the first book in this sequence, but it's pretty seamless to jump in on this second one. Worldbuilding is smooth and convincing, to the point that you almost might miss the fact that a lot of the stuff referenced actually happened in a second book, and isn't just stage dressing.
Antsy's inscrutably cool Swedish classmate shares that he's going to die in six months. Antsy offers him a month of his own life out of sympathy. Then everyone else wants to get in on the good deed. Things spiral. Life, (the fear of) death, and comedy abound Lot of heavy themes explored with a light, funny touch. The mid-teens boy perspective is solid, by turns insightful and hilarious, and helps make the content feel approachable instead of heavy. Faith/prayer/religion, parents' career and relationship conflict, and illness and death covered.
Mild dating content (kissing) but I'd say this is an accessible read for male and female readers from about mid-Elementary school age on up. Main cast are in the 15-16yo range, but tonally it feels more MG.
Antsy's inscrutably cool Swedish classmate shares that he's going to die in six months. Antsy offers him a month of his own life out of sympathy. Then everyone else wants to get in on the good deed. Things spiral. Life, (the fear of) death, and comedy abound Lot of heavy themes explored with a light, funny touch. The mid-teens boy perspective is solid, by turns insightful and hilarious, and helps make the content feel approachable instead of heavy. Faith/prayer/religion, parents' career and relationship conflict, and illness and death covered.
Mild dating content (kissing) but I'd say this is an accessible read for male and female readers from about mid-Elementary school age on up. Main cast are in the 15-16yo range, but tonally it feels more MG.
July 13, 2019
Schusterman has done it again. The first Antsy book was a masterpiece of an adventure through the Bronx and through Italian-American Life with the questions that came with the character of The Schwa. This book manages to do something I've rarely seen in a sequel: picking up several of the characters you came to love before, and not only letting them live again, but displaying their growth. The Antsy who concludes this story is not the same one who ended the last one. Few are the books that have evoked from me choked laughter (to the worry of my flight neighbor) and also brought me to tears. Not only is it a ride, but it's a rewarding one. And don't forget -- the author himself reads the audio, imparting his authentic Bronx to bring Antsy and his family to life in a way that actually makes me recommend the audio over the text, if you have a chance.
As someone who is generally disappointed by sequels, this one gets cataloged as one of the best I've read.
As someone who is generally disappointed by sequels, this one gets cataloged as one of the best I've read.
October 27, 2020
I am always in the market for humorous books. (They are in short supply during this angst-y time...) This darkly funny story about Anthony (Antsy) Bonano kept me turning pages to see where this outlandish tale would end. Antsy signs over a month of his life to his 'terminally ill" friend Gunnar. This starts a trend in his school/community and soon Gunnar has over 50 years donated. It gets crazy when Antsy starts to question whether Gunnar is truly terminal ill, and some people start demanding the return of their donated years, after a donor has a heart attack. Fans of Neal Schusterman's thought provoking Scythe books may be disappointed by this amusing middle school read.
June 21, 2018
I like how mature this book was. Life realizations are my jam.
September 12, 2020
Ada ke-khas-an cerita remaja. Tapi temanya bisa dibilang cukup unik. Menarik.
Read
December 10, 2019This book is really good if you like mystery and humor. I liked this book because its weird and fun at the same time.
December 26, 2020
Really liked this one. Off to finish the trilogy.
December 10, 2012
I chose the book Antsy Does Time because the title and the cover looked interesting. The plot of the story is basically about how a boy named Anthony tried to earn time for his friend Gunnar. Everyone belived that Gunnar had been diagnosed with cancer and they felt bad for him so they donated months of their life just to keep him happy. Is he really sick, or is it all a game? My favorite quote was "A family is a collection of strangers trapped in a web of DNA and forced to cope." I like this quote because it shows that even though there are fights, and even though things fall apart, everything becomes better again because family stays family. I thought the author's writing style was great. He wrote from everyones point of view and I enjoyed that. I would recommend this book to who ever that has trouble trusting a friend because this book reveals many dark secrets.
December 20, 2024
I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS BOOK FOR 10 YEARS
I read it in middle school and this cover with the raccoon balloon has been stuck in my head ever since, as well as specific plot details
Used Google Books Search and instantly found it im crying 😭😭😭
Need to reread
AND HE’S THE AUTHOR OF SCYTHE WHAAAAAT
UPDATE: read it and it was the perfect nostalgia fueled “read this in day” fun
I read it in middle school and this cover with the raccoon balloon has been stuck in my head ever since, as well as specific plot details
Used Google Books Search and instantly found it im crying 😭😭😭
Need to reread
AND HE’S THE AUTHOR OF SCYTHE WHAAAAAT
UPDATE: read it and it was the perfect nostalgia fueled “read this in day” fun
February 2, 2009
I'd never read Schusterman before. This book was "assigned" as part of a writing retreat, and I enjoyed being introduced to this character. Schusterman deals with rather serious issues in a humorous, engaging way.
January 23, 2017
The sequel to Schwa was good but not quite as good as the first story. It was fun to read more about Antsy, but I did miss having the Schwa in this story. Antsy is such a great and strong character. Both books are must read!
April 6, 2022
I enjoyed this one way more than his predecessor "The Schwa was here". This book was interesting, very funny, and managed to keep my attention with some unpredictable plot twists. Highly recommend it.
Read
December 28, 2008Great fun, with lots of laugh out loud moments. Plus, "Do you want your gum back, or should I keep it?" has to be the best fictional response to an adolescent kiss ever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 10, 2019The book i'm reading for the month of December was called ¨Antsy Does Time¨ this book was written by Neal Shusterman, his novels have been honored with awards from the international reading association, the american Library association, and readers in many states. I haven't read much of the book, but from what I've read this book is very fun and funny. This book is about a person or a spirit (doesn’t really say), but they are who come up with the ideas. For example, ice water or parades, they invent things that us, humans, enjoy to do or eat or drink. My favorite character so far is Antsy, because he’s a humble and funny person. His real name is Anthony, but people have called him Antsy for so long. He is very funny like someone tried to steal his name antsy so he had to put it like “Antsy®️” which i thought was pretty funny. My favorite quote was when Antsy said “Nobody’s going back in time to nuke Napoleon, or give Jesus a cell phone.” This what my favorite quote because it was so funny. My least favorite character is Gunnar umlaut, because he is next to antsy a lot and i have a feeling he will steal his plans or something. In the book he only has six months to live so he told Antsy and got a month from Antsy’s life which i don’t like. Overall this book is really good because it’s funny and very very interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2019
Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman is a sequel (or companion) to The Schwa Was Here. Like Schwa, this tale is set in Brooklyn and narrated by Antsy—Anthony Bonano—and, at least at first, seems to center on someone else’s crisis. When his stoic, Scandinavian classmate Gunnar reveals he’s dying of Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia (in which your body turns oxygen into carbon monoxide instead of carbon dioxide and you’re essentially poisoned by the very air you breath—p.s. it doesn’t exist IRL), Antsy offers Gunnar a month of his own life, trying to shake his new friend from his morbid, death-fascinated funk. This simple act takes on a life of its own, and before he knows it, Antsy becomes the center of a life-donation frenzy in which he draws up and distributes legal-ish looking contracts, collecting additional life for the fast-fading Gunnar. In no time it becomes a school-wide obsession, culminating in a rally for Gunnar at which Antsy is the keynote speaker.
But there’s something a bit off about Gunnar’s disease, and his obsession with it. There’s something off about the Ümlaut family, in general. There’s even something off about Kjersten, Gunnar’s older sister, who starts dating Antsy in the middle of all of this. But Antsy can’t put his finger on it. When he has dinner at the Ümlaut house early in the story, there’s a palpable tension when Mr. Ümlaut joins them at the table. Antsy assumes that it’s due to Gunnar’s fast-approaching death, but he’s confused as to why no one in the family (other than Gunnar) seems willing to talk about it.
Antsy learns, as the story moves forward, that the family’s problems extend far beyond a son who says he’s dying. And just as the Ümlaut’s collective problems begin to boil, Antsy’s own life-and-death family crisis emerges.
All of this is told in Antsy’s familiar, energetic, and flat-out hilarious voice. Schwa is one of my favorite books, and I generally, unless it’s part of a trilogy or series, dislike sequels. I put off reading this novel for some time for that reason, but I’m glad I finally did. This sequel works for me for several reasons. First, the Bonano family is great—especially Antsy—and is definitely worth spending more time with. Second, this story stands on its own. It’s not following a formula from the first book, simply inserting Gunnar and his problems where the Schwa was in the last novel. And finally—and most importantly—Shusterman, I think, successfully expands on a theme—a current—that runs through both of these novels. Language. And meaning that comes from it.
I mentioned, a moment ago, Antsy’s great voice, which—of course—is all about language. And there are several language-related jokes that pop up throughout both of these books. I mean, in this one, we have the Ümlaut family. An umlaut, of course, is that little two-dot symbol above vowels that represents vowel fronting or raising. The U in the family’s name has an umlaut, giving it the oo sound. The same symbol, incidentally, appears in the author’s last name on the cover of this book (but is not in the author’s name IRL). Similarly, a schwa, from the first novel, is an unstressed neutral vowel (or the symbol—ə—that represents it). And a schwa appears in Shusterman’s last name on the cover of The Schwa was Here. Clever. It doesn’t end there, though. Throughout the novel, Gunnar spews 100% made up quotations, supposedly by famous people, making us question the importance of which words are said by whom. And in chapter six, Gunnar asks Hakeem Habibi-Jones, “Doesn’t your culture ululate for the dead?” When Hakeem indicates he has no idea what that means, Antsy quips that cultural traditions are lost in hyphenation. Later, in the same chapter, when Ansty asks Gunnar if his sister likes him, they quibble over whether it’s Like with a capital L or like in italics, because the meaning apparently hinges on that distinction.
Shusterman plays with language and punctuation throughout, toying with the meanings of words, punctuation, and structure, and challenging us to understand how we come to those meanings and what our understanding of language says about us. I’ve heard it said that language is like a culture’s DNA, and I think that idea comes through in these novels. Moreover, the understanding of language in this novel is through the POV of an adolescent. Presumably Antsy’s learning about language in school in a concrete, academic way. He learns that in real life, language is nuanced. And meaningful.
There’s larger, more obvious symbolic references throughout the story, like the Steinbeck project that Gunnar and Antsy create, using herbicide to make a dustbowl of the Ümlaut’s backyard (and half of the yards on their street). Or the name of Kjersten’s favorite band—NeuroToxin. Or the very disease Gunnar claims to have—a disease in which he’s poisoned by the air he breaths (or, figuratively, poisoned by the house he lives in, the family that surrounds him). All of these things are important, but, I believe, secondary to the focus on language.
The importance of language is most obvious when Ansty’s family faces its major crisis of the novel—his dad’s heart-attack. When the doctor approaches the family in the waiting room, his first words to Antsy’s mom are “your husband has an acute blockage of the—” Antsy doesn’t hear or care about the rest. He focuses on the word has. Not had. His dad is. Not was. Present tense. Not past. His dad is alive. Such a simple distinction, but in that moment, it’s all that matters to Antsy, to his family.
Shusterman has done good work here. It’s a fun novel with some darker undertones, and a playful and healthy dose of language that challenges readers to think about the words they read and speak and the meanings behind them.
Recommended for boys ages 12-15.
But there’s something a bit off about Gunnar’s disease, and his obsession with it. There’s something off about the Ümlaut family, in general. There’s even something off about Kjersten, Gunnar’s older sister, who starts dating Antsy in the middle of all of this. But Antsy can’t put his finger on it. When he has dinner at the Ümlaut house early in the story, there’s a palpable tension when Mr. Ümlaut joins them at the table. Antsy assumes that it’s due to Gunnar’s fast-approaching death, but he’s confused as to why no one in the family (other than Gunnar) seems willing to talk about it.
Antsy learns, as the story moves forward, that the family’s problems extend far beyond a son who says he’s dying. And just as the Ümlaut’s collective problems begin to boil, Antsy’s own life-and-death family crisis emerges.
All of this is told in Antsy’s familiar, energetic, and flat-out hilarious voice. Schwa is one of my favorite books, and I generally, unless it’s part of a trilogy or series, dislike sequels. I put off reading this novel for some time for that reason, but I’m glad I finally did. This sequel works for me for several reasons. First, the Bonano family is great—especially Antsy—and is definitely worth spending more time with. Second, this story stands on its own. It’s not following a formula from the first book, simply inserting Gunnar and his problems where the Schwa was in the last novel. And finally—and most importantly—Shusterman, I think, successfully expands on a theme—a current—that runs through both of these novels. Language. And meaning that comes from it.
I mentioned, a moment ago, Antsy’s great voice, which—of course—is all about language. And there are several language-related jokes that pop up throughout both of these books. I mean, in this one, we have the Ümlaut family. An umlaut, of course, is that little two-dot symbol above vowels that represents vowel fronting or raising. The U in the family’s name has an umlaut, giving it the oo sound. The same symbol, incidentally, appears in the author’s last name on the cover of this book (but is not in the author’s name IRL). Similarly, a schwa, from the first novel, is an unstressed neutral vowel (or the symbol—ə—that represents it). And a schwa appears in Shusterman’s last name on the cover of The Schwa was Here. Clever. It doesn’t end there, though. Throughout the novel, Gunnar spews 100% made up quotations, supposedly by famous people, making us question the importance of which words are said by whom. And in chapter six, Gunnar asks Hakeem Habibi-Jones, “Doesn’t your culture ululate for the dead?” When Hakeem indicates he has no idea what that means, Antsy quips that cultural traditions are lost in hyphenation. Later, in the same chapter, when Ansty asks Gunnar if his sister likes him, they quibble over whether it’s Like with a capital L or like in italics, because the meaning apparently hinges on that distinction.
Shusterman plays with language and punctuation throughout, toying with the meanings of words, punctuation, and structure, and challenging us to understand how we come to those meanings and what our understanding of language says about us. I’ve heard it said that language is like a culture’s DNA, and I think that idea comes through in these novels. Moreover, the understanding of language in this novel is through the POV of an adolescent. Presumably Antsy’s learning about language in school in a concrete, academic way. He learns that in real life, language is nuanced. And meaningful.
There’s larger, more obvious symbolic references throughout the story, like the Steinbeck project that Gunnar and Antsy create, using herbicide to make a dustbowl of the Ümlaut’s backyard (and half of the yards on their street). Or the name of Kjersten’s favorite band—NeuroToxin. Or the very disease Gunnar claims to have—a disease in which he’s poisoned by the air he breaths (or, figuratively, poisoned by the house he lives in, the family that surrounds him). All of these things are important, but, I believe, secondary to the focus on language.
The importance of language is most obvious when Ansty’s family faces its major crisis of the novel—his dad’s heart-attack. When the doctor approaches the family in the waiting room, his first words to Antsy’s mom are “your husband has an acute blockage of the—” Antsy doesn’t hear or care about the rest. He focuses on the word has. Not had. His dad is. Not was. Present tense. Not past. His dad is alive. Such a simple distinction, but in that moment, it’s all that matters to Antsy, to his family.
Shusterman has done good work here. It’s a fun novel with some darker undertones, and a playful and healthy dose of language that challenges readers to think about the words they read and speak and the meanings behind them.
Recommended for boys ages 12-15.
February 1, 2019
Such a weird, wonderful book. Antsy is once again a fantastic narrator, with choice quotes like "See, when you're on the computer, you get really good at multitasking, and usually the tasks you have to multi are all so pointless you can have endless hours without a single useful thought. It's great."
Gunnar is for sure an intriguing character, as is Skaterdud. A lot of fun to read, but I also got emotional at certain points, like when Antsy told Crawley they didn't need the money, and Crawley said, "But you'll take it, because it's what I have to give." Slam dunk.
Gunnar is for sure an intriguing character, as is Skaterdud. A lot of fun to read, but I also got emotional at certain points, like when Antsy told Crawley they didn't need the money, and Crawley said, "But you'll take it, because it's what I have to give." Slam dunk.
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December 4, 2021I read this years ago and I just remembered a specific scene that had me googling "book terminally ill kid swedish gambling???"
Anyway, I found it!
The scene I remembered was Antsy and Guntar going to get Guntar's dad from....a bar I think? Anyway the dad wouldn't leave so to embarass him into leaving Guntar started singing the Swedish national anthem. Antsy wanted to help, so he started singing Dancing Queen because ABBA is a Swedish band. I thought that was hilarious at 11 and I still think it's hilarious now (enough that I tracked this book down from half-remembered details).
Anyway, I found it!
The scene I remembered was Antsy and Guntar going to get Guntar's dad from....a bar I think? Anyway the dad wouldn't leave so to embarass him into leaving Guntar started singing the Swedish national anthem. Antsy wanted to help, so he started singing Dancing Queen because ABBA is a Swedish band. I thought that was hilarious at 11 and I still think it's hilarious now (enough that I tracked this book down from half-remembered details).
July 9, 2017
I was trying to steer away from YA fiction for the summer, but discovering the Antsy Bonano series has been a real treat. Book 2 picks up where The Schwa Was Here left off (kind of) and the action and great one-liners are there from the get go. Shusterman sneaks in some challenging themes in this one as well (death, relationships, and faith), but is never preachy - only thought-provoking. Great summer reading.
February 19, 2021
This book is so poignant, funny and well- awesome!
The depth of Antsy's internal struggles conflict with Gunnar's nonchalance at his impending death.
Antsy is a "fixer", always wanting to help. But BOY! does his get mixed up in something way weirder than he imagined.
From the opening chapter with the runaway Raccoon balloon, I was hooked into this incredible story. Bravo Mr. Shusterman! What a great read!
The depth of Antsy's internal struggles conflict with Gunnar's nonchalance at his impending death.
Antsy is a "fixer", always wanting to help. But BOY! does his get mixed up in something way weirder than he imagined.
From the opening chapter with the runaway Raccoon balloon, I was hooked into this incredible story. Bravo Mr. Shusterman! What a great read!
May 24, 2017
3 1/2 stars. It wasn't as good as the first Antsy Bonano book. I liked the story until the wrapping up of it...mostly the restaurant part. That's all I'll say as to not give anything away. Fun book though.
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May 11, 2018It turns out they were going to a parade. One of the characters end up crying. There was a lot of things happening. The book was more of an action book. It was really entertaining it went from one event to another.
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