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The Everything Machine
From rear cover:
Three kids let loose with a top-secret magical machine with a mind of it's own . . . What could possibly go wrong?
Olly, Stevie and Bird have just had a very special delivery. It's a machine that has a name, can speak and is able to print ANYTHING they want it to. How about a never-ending supply of sweets and a cool swimming pool in the shed, for starters?
But is getting everything you've ever wished for all it's cracked up to be?
This is fiction for children.
Three kids let loose with a top-secret magical machine with a mind of it's own . . . What could possibly go wrong?
Olly, Stevie and Bird have just had a very special delivery. It's a machine that has a name, can speak and is able to print ANYTHING they want it to. How about a never-ending supply of sweets and a cool swimming pool in the shed, for starters?
But is getting everything you've ever wished for all it's cracked up to be?
This is fiction for children.
355 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
8 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 28, 2025
I got through this book quite quickly and easily - I found the plot very fun and simple to follow. I love the use of technology this book uses, making up codes throughout and lists of programming to bring to life that robot - futuristic style writing. I would recommend this book to newer readers and children starting their first chapter books as it is not too overwhelming of a read but is so funny and worth starting! It definitely would be interesting to see a sequel to this book!!
March 9, 2017
A real fun romp of a book that boys and girls alike are going to absolutely love. The whole idea of being able to make pretty much ANYTHING you want will attract kids between 7-12.
Be aware there are willy references on page 108.
Be aware there are willy references on page 108.
February 26, 2017
If a government funded and built magical machine with the ability to make just about anything you desired landed in your lap, what would you as it to make? This is the dilemma the Fugue children face when, instead of a rabbit hutch for the yet-to-be-bought rabbits that Olly ordered from that auction site, an extremely expensive and top secret machine named Russell is delivered to the house.
Bird, Olly, and Stevie are soon up to their necks in trouble fending off things like robots and rogue drones, all while looking after their baby sister and making sure their mum isn't too sad after their dad suddenly left them.
The Everything Machine is a rip-roaring, hilarious ride from start to finish, side-splittingly funny on one page and sad on the next, with all the siblings desperately missing their father while still trying to cope with school, homework, football practice and Mum's big pant business. The relationship between them is so wonderfully written, a pesky big sister trying to boss them around but still looking out for them and Stevie & Olly's rough-housing is fun, sometimes a bit vicious but never mean.
With common themes such as Stevie's addiction to an online game that everybody in the world seems to play through to children coping with their parent's separation, The Everything Machine is a great read with some of the best characters I've read this year. This is the first time I've read anything by Ally Kennen but it certainly won't be the last.
Bird, Olly, and Stevie are soon up to their necks in trouble fending off things like robots and rogue drones, all while looking after their baby sister and making sure their mum isn't too sad after their dad suddenly left them.
The Everything Machine is a rip-roaring, hilarious ride from start to finish, side-splittingly funny on one page and sad on the next, with all the siblings desperately missing their father while still trying to cope with school, homework, football practice and Mum's big pant business. The relationship between them is so wonderfully written, a pesky big sister trying to boss them around but still looking out for them and Stevie & Olly's rough-housing is fun, sometimes a bit vicious but never mean.
With common themes such as Stevie's addiction to an online game that everybody in the world seems to play through to children coping with their parent's separation, The Everything Machine is a great read with some of the best characters I've read this year. This is the first time I've read anything by Ally Kennen but it certainly won't be the last.
August 31, 2018
Oh wow, I so enjoyed this book. What would you do if you get a big package containing a 3d printer that is actually sentient? Oh my. Especially if you are a kid? Of course, candy! But then bigger projects, until you can just see it all go wrong and you are eager to see how bad it will get. :P
I felt sorry for the kids, and the mom, for what they had to go through with the dad missing/gone away. I just loved how the book got more and more fun, and even more exciting with each page. The projects were fun, and I loved how the sibling relationship was between these characters.
The ending was exciting, and I definitely couldn't stop reading anymore. I just had to continue. The only thing I would have loved to see would be illustrations.
I felt sorry for the kids, and the mom, for what they had to go through with the dad missing/gone away. I just loved how the book got more and more fun, and even more exciting with each page. The projects were fun, and I loved how the sibling relationship was between these characters.
The ending was exciting, and I definitely couldn't stop reading anymore. I just had to continue. The only thing I would have loved to see would be illustrations.
May 27, 2018
Brilliant fun! What would you do if you had a machine that could make you anything? Well that’s just what happens to Olly, and what he creates causes havoc! This had me chuckling in public, so I know it’s a winner!
June 24, 2017
Read this with my 7yo son. We both really enjoyed it.
November 3, 2018
This was such an underrated book and it’s so good people should definitely read this and maybe the adults could read this to their kids because it is such a fun and interesting book !
February 7, 2020
It was a amazing adventure
March 10, 2020
Fantastic book. Very funny. Great as an audio book to listen to as a family.
February 19, 2023
It's okay, but not a must read at all...
March 11, 2023
One of my favourite childhood books that i reread for nostalgia. The imagination process is fantastic. Loved it.
August 22, 2023
My 7 year old gave it a 4 star for great. I gave it a 3.5 and got into trouble for half stars.
It was a slow start and a slightly slow ending but it did get well worth it in the middle.
It was a slow start and a slightly slow ending but it did get well worth it in the middle.
February 22, 2017
Wonderfully written, combines my two favourite genres - sci-fi and adventure.
August 11, 2025
The idea of a machine granting wishes is so cool, and the story is full of humor and unexpected twists. A fun and imaginative read.
April 2, 2017
The Everything Machine is one of the most adorable middle-grade novels I’ve ever read, but not only that, it really got me thinking. If I had a machine that could literally give me anything and everything, what would I get? I JUST DON’T KNOW. More books? ALL THE BOOKS? Yankee Candles? MONEY? Money is a good one because it means I could stop working, still buy books and support authors (hurrah!). Surely that would just fix everything? But as it were for Olly, Stevie and Bird, having everything you’ve ever wanted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…
I loved everything about this book – the characters were so realistic, from Olly, Stevie and Bird, to their harassed mum, who spends more time on the baby than she does her other kids, but not in a vacant/absent way, because she is always there, always wondering what’s going on with the other three. The machine itself. I have much love for machines with minds of their own (see: Iron Man) and Russell was fantastic. Witty, huffy, sarcastic – he needed more lines! He honestly made me laugh, with his one-liners and stroppy teenage moods.
Ally Keenan has written such a good story here. Everything was pitch perfect, there was action and adventure, there were funny moments, emotional moments, times where you could really understand that these kids were just children whose greatest wish in life wasn’t money or fame or whatever else the machine could give you, but a happy family life. That’s the moral of the story for me – a machine may be able to give you everything your heart desires, but that doesn’t mean it’ll make you happy. A bit deep for a kids book? Sure, but it’s always an important lesson to learn.
I loved everything about this book – the characters were so realistic, from Olly, Stevie and Bird, to their harassed mum, who spends more time on the baby than she does her other kids, but not in a vacant/absent way, because she is always there, always wondering what’s going on with the other three. The machine itself. I have much love for machines with minds of their own (see: Iron Man) and Russell was fantastic. Witty, huffy, sarcastic – he needed more lines! He honestly made me laugh, with his one-liners and stroppy teenage moods.
Ally Keenan has written such a good story here. Everything was pitch perfect, there was action and adventure, there were funny moments, emotional moments, times where you could really understand that these kids were just children whose greatest wish in life wasn’t money or fame or whatever else the machine could give you, but a happy family life. That’s the moral of the story for me – a machine may be able to give you everything your heart desires, but that doesn’t mean it’ll make you happy. A bit deep for a kids book? Sure, but it’s always an important lesson to learn.
May 3, 2017
This review was originally posted on my blog here: A Daydreamer's Thoughts.
Upon hearing about this book I knew that it was one that I thought would be really interesting! In this world of technology, it is always great to see books arriving that are up to date with it all. I also thought it would be a rather fun read to see what was going to happen! Fortunately I fell into this story easily and really loved every word of it. It was interesting, entertaining and fascinating. A really clever and well-written novel that children will surely love!
There was something so fun and interesting about the plot of this book. I loved how it all came together and that everything they made or wished for came with consequences. Some very peculiar that they never would have seen coming. It helped to make the book more entertaining and I can definitely see children finding it very funny indeed.
The three main characters in this book, Olly, Stevie and Bird were really great. They were each very unique and fun to read about. I especially liked Bird who was a science nut. I loved that she was portrayed in a positive way as well – a nice little nod to the fact that a) science is cool and b) girls can be scientists too! I loved how the family unit meshed so well too. Ally Kennen has created a wonderful cast for this book.
All in all, I very much liked this book. It was easy to read, contained a very fun and interesting story that was full of action and intrigue. On top of that it was addictive and I found it difficult to put the book down until I knew how it was all going to end. And not going to lie, I quite liked the ending too! I would definitely recommend this book and think many children would adore it!
Upon hearing about this book I knew that it was one that I thought would be really interesting! In this world of technology, it is always great to see books arriving that are up to date with it all. I also thought it would be a rather fun read to see what was going to happen! Fortunately I fell into this story easily and really loved every word of it. It was interesting, entertaining and fascinating. A really clever and well-written novel that children will surely love!
There was something so fun and interesting about the plot of this book. I loved how it all came together and that everything they made or wished for came with consequences. Some very peculiar that they never would have seen coming. It helped to make the book more entertaining and I can definitely see children finding it very funny indeed.
The three main characters in this book, Olly, Stevie and Bird were really great. They were each very unique and fun to read about. I especially liked Bird who was a science nut. I loved that she was portrayed in a positive way as well – a nice little nod to the fact that a) science is cool and b) girls can be scientists too! I loved how the family unit meshed so well too. Ally Kennen has created a wonderful cast for this book.
All in all, I very much liked this book. It was easy to read, contained a very fun and interesting story that was full of action and intrigue. On top of that it was addictive and I found it difficult to put the book down until I knew how it was all going to end. And not going to lie, I quite liked the ending too! I would definitely recommend this book and think many children would adore it!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews