John Adams and the Magic Bobblehead: John Adams and the Magic Bobblehead

by Deborah Kalb, Robert Lunsford (Illustrator)

Adventure, history, and the drama of family life intertwine in this engrossing tale of a fifth-grade girl struggling to find her place after her mom remarries and she finds herself stuck with a younger stepbrother. Find out what happens when Ava and her newly blended family take a trip to Boston, where she buys a magic bobblehead and is unexpectedly transported to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As Ava and her stepbrother, J. P., travel back and forth with John and Abigail Adams and their children, from Massachusetts, to Philadelphia, to the White House, to France, she learns about history, friendship, and how to deal with new situations, including her recently blended family. This sequel to The President and George Washington and the Magic Hat features some of the same characters.

144 pages, Paperback

Published November 28, 2018

About the author

Deborah Kalb is a freelance writer and editor who spent more than 20 years working as a journalist. She is the co-author, with her father, Marvin Kalb, of Haunting Legacy: Vietnam and the American Presidency from Ford to Obama, and has always been interested in presidents and history. She lives with her family in the Washington, DC, area.

Reviews

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl gets grudging respect for her step-brother on a family trip to a wedding, when she finds he's had experience of time-travel – and lo and behold, the plastic nodding figure of John Adams they snap up from the gift shop while adult, wedding things are happening elsewhere can also send them back to the days of the Founding Fathers. There's a certain clunkiness to the repeated flashes backwards, and I doubt history would exactly stay the same with a Star Wars Lego kit being left in the American past, and the Adamses knowing they had a Visitor Centre etc – a missed opportunity, there. The story also features gratuitous bickering and trash talk in lieu of drama at times, and has more characters to keep track of than the average book for this age range. It's not brilliant, then, but the balance of education and entertainment could have been a lot worse. Of limited interest to those outside the USA, however (whatever the publishers might hope).

[Jackie Lantern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was funny and cute. A perfect, non-tedious way to get children engaged with American history.

[Maria Antonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about rtwo step-siblings who go to Boston for a wedding. While there, they get a John Adams bobblehead which comes to life! Of course, they get swept back in time to experience some of the historical events surrounding John Adams and the American Revolution.

I really like the premise of this book and I love history. That said, I did find the story a little disjointed at times, partly because, when they time-traveled, all of a sudden it would be their own time again. Then later on, they'd be earlier or later in history. Nothing was in chronological order. I also thought it was weird to bring in the other two kids who were too old and modern.

Another thing I did find confusing was the characters: Sam and Samantha. It took me a while to realize they were two different people. I wish they had different names.

I enjoyed learning some historical facts about John and Abigail Adams and their family. I would recommend this book to kids who enjoy the time-travel-to-learn-history trope.

[3.5 stars]

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava and her stepbrother J.P. are on their way to the wedding of Ava's aunt. It's hard enough having to share your mom with a new-to-you sibling but to share the fun of a wedding seems wholly unfair. But at least Ava can spend time with her Grandpa Ed (even if J.P. has to tag along). Grandpa has plans to show them the highlights of Boston. First stop is John Adams house where J.P. buys a bobblehead with unique properties--like talking!

As the kids go through the house, the bobblehead puts in his two cents worth. And before they know it, the kids have traveled back in time to the early years of America. Getting a first-hand glimpse at history is a lot more fun than walking through a museum!

Ava and J.P. take several trips back in time, visit the Freedom Trail in Boston, meet some obnoxious teens at the wedding, and try to keep the bobblehead from misbehaving at the ceremony. You'll have to get the book to find out all about their adventures. Ava and J.P. not only learn some history, but they learn some life lessons as well. The President and Me is a highly entertaining series that helps bring history to life for middle grade readers!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The President and Me: John Adams and the Magic Bobblehead from NetGalley for the purpose of review.