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The Extraordinary eTab of Julian Newcomber
Always the new kid Twelve-year-old Julian Newcomber knows he has a fitting―what the smart folks call apropos―last name. His family moves constantly due to his Dad's quirky inventions, which have a habit of misbehaving and blowing up the family home. So he's always been the new kid in school. Because of his father's inventions
Now firmly settled in a peaceful and close-knit community, Julian believes he's finally found a home, not to mention a safe haven from his father's calamities. That is, until a vaguely familiar 20-year-old man walks out of the bedroom closet, and identifies himself as future Julian. Until his father goes too far It turns out that his father's latest contraption, the eTab, alters time. So Grown-Up Julian decided to take a joyride into the past and dropped his cell phone on a Civil War battlefield. (Who wouldn't want to see Pickett's Charge, after all?) And his future self needs his help
With his own eTab too low on juice to take him all the way back to his own time, Grown-Up Julian needs Young Julian to locate a quantity of Cucumium so he can go back to the Civil War and retrieve his cell phone, then get home before his parents find out.
Before history is rewritten The two Julians break rules, break curfews, and break into the Intermediate School in an effort to locate some Cucumium (though they're not exactly sure what it is), so they won't be forced to share the room and fight over the top bunk forever. Oh, and if Grown-Up Julian stays, it could, as a side effect, pollute the natural timeline and rewrite history as they know it.
No pressure.
Now firmly settled in a peaceful and close-knit community, Julian believes he's finally found a home, not to mention a safe haven from his father's calamities. That is, until a vaguely familiar 20-year-old man walks out of the bedroom closet, and identifies himself as future Julian. Until his father goes too far It turns out that his father's latest contraption, the eTab, alters time. So Grown-Up Julian decided to take a joyride into the past and dropped his cell phone on a Civil War battlefield. (Who wouldn't want to see Pickett's Charge, after all?) And his future self needs his help
With his own eTab too low on juice to take him all the way back to his own time, Grown-Up Julian needs Young Julian to locate a quantity of Cucumium so he can go back to the Civil War and retrieve his cell phone, then get home before his parents find out.
Before history is rewritten The two Julians break rules, break curfews, and break into the Intermediate School in an effort to locate some Cucumium (though they're not exactly sure what it is), so they won't be forced to share the room and fight over the top bunk forever. Oh, and if Grown-Up Julian stays, it could, as a side effect, pollute the natural timeline and rewrite history as they know it.
No pressure.
136 pages, Paperback
Published June 7, 2019
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Michael Seese
14 books20 followersFather & husband, which has to be #1.
Writer (whether I want to or not) of books, short stories, flash fiction, poetry, and the future.
Movie aficionado, happy to have moved on from Disney / Pixar to the point where my wife and I can watch REAL movies with the kids.
Musician, who gets in about one hour of practice each quarter.
Infosec / Privacy guy, which is the day job.
Writer (whether I want to or not) of books, short stories, flash fiction, poetry, and the future.
Movie aficionado, happy to have moved on from Disney / Pixar to the point where my wife and I can watch REAL movies with the kids.
Musician, who gets in about one hour of practice each quarter.
Infosec / Privacy guy, which is the day job.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 1, 2019
A book for middle grade kids. 9-12’s I believe. As an adult reading it and reflecting on the amazing story I think it would be enjoyed by older teenagers as well.
The book is about a young Julian Newcomber, a child who has reached the age 12 with few friends and accomplishments as his family have moved about quite a lot. In the process he has never been anywhere long enough to make and keep friends.
His Dad is a crazy inventor and his Mum is everything his Dad is not. Strict over meal times, eating one’s veggies and general table manners.
School is a minefield for Julian the new boy. The target of bullies and increasingly more isolating as he struggles to develop interpersonal skills and forge meaningful social interactions.
We meet Julian on a typical day able to escape his nemesis by his Dad’s latest invention and acting as narrator telling us how his life changed for ever.
The premise is that his future self returns to his room to enlist his help to ensure older Julian has not corrupted the time line and changed history.
This is a fun account of childhood and the processes of growing up. Younger and Older Julian slowly come to terms with this bizarre situation and learn to co-operate. I liked the humour Julian is given and uses with his other self and in a self deprecating way.
Dad is a larger than life character and the mad inventor is a common fictional character but the author has new angles to ratchet up the chaos he causes and the silly names he gives his inventions.
He is also the wisest sage in his chat about fatherhood in his Dad to Son moment.
There is tension because the help Julian needs to offer is time critical and in his 12 year old world not everything is straightforward.
The story is very educational in the sharing of words as a running theme is to use synonyms where possible to give more meaning to sentences. I loved the plug for reading and the value of books.
Finally I enjoyed the whole time-travelling conundrum about loops, polluting the future and changing history. Young Julian puts his fingers in his ears about events in the future; but in terms of relationships and gaining respect in the present he is all ears. This rings true for a 12 year old wanting to get to 13 and remain cool even where girls are involved. Only good things to say in this clever and genuinely witty pre-teen read.
The book is about a young Julian Newcomber, a child who has reached the age 12 with few friends and accomplishments as his family have moved about quite a lot. In the process he has never been anywhere long enough to make and keep friends.
His Dad is a crazy inventor and his Mum is everything his Dad is not. Strict over meal times, eating one’s veggies and general table manners.
School is a minefield for Julian the new boy. The target of bullies and increasingly more isolating as he struggles to develop interpersonal skills and forge meaningful social interactions.
We meet Julian on a typical day able to escape his nemesis by his Dad’s latest invention and acting as narrator telling us how his life changed for ever.
The premise is that his future self returns to his room to enlist his help to ensure older Julian has not corrupted the time line and changed history.
This is a fun account of childhood and the processes of growing up. Younger and Older Julian slowly come to terms with this bizarre situation and learn to co-operate. I liked the humour Julian is given and uses with his other self and in a self deprecating way.
Dad is a larger than life character and the mad inventor is a common fictional character but the author has new angles to ratchet up the chaos he causes and the silly names he gives his inventions.
He is also the wisest sage in his chat about fatherhood in his Dad to Son moment.
There is tension because the help Julian needs to offer is time critical and in his 12 year old world not everything is straightforward.
The story is very educational in the sharing of words as a running theme is to use synonyms where possible to give more meaning to sentences. I loved the plug for reading and the value of books.
Finally I enjoyed the whole time-travelling conundrum about loops, polluting the future and changing history. Young Julian puts his fingers in his ears about events in the future; but in terms of relationships and gaining respect in the present he is all ears. This rings true for a 12 year old wanting to get to 13 and remain cool even where girls are involved. Only good things to say in this clever and genuinely witty pre-teen read.
February 10, 2019
I received this book free from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. When Julian’s scientist father creates an epad that alters time and himself from the future appears, a wild ride was guaranteed to happen. This is a book aimed for children aged between 8 and 12 but I adored this. It was a fun adventure, with loveable characters and fantastic pacing. Although I’m not quite the demographic for this book, being 30, I none the less enjoyed it and would recommend it you’re looking for a new bedtime read for your kids (or a fun quick read for yourself).
February 12, 2019
My name is Julian, and my father creates semi-successful inventions, if they don't blow up first. He gave me a cool one called the eTab. It looks like a black piece of paper, but it can email, make phone calls, and browse the Internet. However, I figured out that it can also let me travel through time. I was trying to figure out the best way to use it when my future self showed up! I guess he (or is it I?) dropped a cellphone during the Battle of Gettysburg, and now he/I need help going back to that time. Future-me's eTab doesn't have enough power to complete the trip, and I don't know how to charge it without telling my dad. My future self will be stuck here if we don't figure out something by tomorrow.
I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley. It offered an unexpected twist to the plot due to my expectations from other novels involving time travel. I figured the cellphone would be the major conflict, and it kind of was, but the real problem was trying to find a way to charge Future-Julian's eTab. The answer to that issue was strange but fit the tone for the rest of the book. The author created humor using science and language. Julian's father had inventions for all kinds of weird uses (a cream used to stop floors from creaking), and explosions were a definite possibility. Julian was always the new kid in school, since home destruction caused the family to frequently move. His dad tended to translate things he said to Julian, and Future-Julian kept trying to tell Young-Julian about future events. His motives seemed pure, but Young-Julian worried about disturbing the time continuum. The author included the typical school bully to torment Julian, but he was inadvertently helpful in resolving the big conflict. Overall, the book was fun to read, and I recommend you give it a shot. Although the characters were older middle school students, younger readers can easily enjoy it too.
I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley. It offered an unexpected twist to the plot due to my expectations from other novels involving time travel. I figured the cellphone would be the major conflict, and it kind of was, but the real problem was trying to find a way to charge Future-Julian's eTab. The answer to that issue was strange but fit the tone for the rest of the book. The author created humor using science and language. Julian's father had inventions for all kinds of weird uses (a cream used to stop floors from creaking), and explosions were a definite possibility. Julian was always the new kid in school, since home destruction caused the family to frequently move. His dad tended to translate things he said to Julian, and Future-Julian kept trying to tell Young-Julian about future events. His motives seemed pure, but Young-Julian worried about disturbing the time continuum. The author included the typical school bully to torment Julian, but he was inadvertently helpful in resolving the big conflict. Overall, the book was fun to read, and I recommend you give it a shot. Although the characters were older middle school students, younger readers can easily enjoy it too.
June 27, 2019
[ I received a digital review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
The Extraordinary Etab of Julian Newcomber is a middle grade Sci-fi novel about Julian who has an inventor for a father. His father invents for him the Etab, which by accident allows Julian to time travel. The plot is fun, the characters are quirky and the resolution is funny but satisfying.
At the beginning, I wasn't completely sold with Julian's character, because he speaks/sounds much older than his actual age, and he is quite snarky at the beginning. Another thing that bothered me is the repetitive use of "what the smart folks call" each time the author is about to use a word that is new for the target audience. However, both of the things I just complained about, grew into me and I started liking them. Julian's character and the other characters are meant to feel graphic, and this does come off the page, and "what the smart folks call" became funny.
Julian reminds me a lot with Artemis Fowl, but without the evil bit, which could explain why it took me a while to like the character (because I happen to not like Artemis). Julian's mother reminded me with Grace from the Umbrella Academy. I am still not sure if Julian's mother is real or one of his father's invention, because she could very well be.
The story is simple. Future Julian is stuck in the past, which is our present and he needs to go back in time. This created for a really interesting dynamic and a funny story. I love how to author only made present Julian listen to the emotional advice future Julian had to offer, and ignored the monetary ones. The author focused on building Julian's confidence and making him grow to be comfortable in his new environment (the city his family moved to). His character development is sweet.
Overall, it is a fun quick read and I do recommend this book for middle grade children. (4/5) stars.
The Extraordinary Etab of Julian Newcomber is a middle grade Sci-fi novel about Julian who has an inventor for a father. His father invents for him the Etab, which by accident allows Julian to time travel. The plot is fun, the characters are quirky and the resolution is funny but satisfying.
At the beginning, I wasn't completely sold with Julian's character, because he speaks/sounds much older than his actual age, and he is quite snarky at the beginning. Another thing that bothered me is the repetitive use of "what the smart folks call" each time the author is about to use a word that is new for the target audience. However, both of the things I just complained about, grew into me and I started liking them. Julian's character and the other characters are meant to feel graphic, and this does come off the page, and "what the smart folks call" became funny.
Julian reminds me a lot with Artemis Fowl, but without the evil bit, which could explain why it took me a while to like the character (because I happen to not like Artemis). Julian's mother reminded me with Grace from the Umbrella Academy. I am still not sure if Julian's mother is real or one of his father's invention, because she could very well be.
The story is simple. Future Julian is stuck in the past, which is our present and he needs to go back in time. This created for a really interesting dynamic and a funny story. I love how to author only made present Julian listen to the emotional advice future Julian had to offer, and ignored the monetary ones. The author focused on building Julian's confidence and making him grow to be comfortable in his new environment (the city his family moved to). His character development is sweet.
Overall, it is a fun quick read and I do recommend this book for middle grade children. (4/5) stars.
June 7, 2019
Julian meets his future self, who asks for his help and eTab to time travel to the Civil War and then back home so as not to get into any trouble with his parents.
Weird? Yes, but cool weird.
Julian's father is an inventor, who comes up with strange contraptions. One of his latest inventions is an eTab that lets Julian time travel.
Long story short, I liked the interaction between father and son, and between the two Julians. The writing was good, there was an emphasis on synonyms, which offers another layer to the take-home of the book.
Weird? Yes, but cool weird.
Julian's father is an inventor, who comes up with strange contraptions. One of his latest inventions is an eTab that lets Julian time travel.
Long story short, I liked the interaction between father and son, and between the two Julians. The writing was good, there was an emphasis on synonyms, which offers another layer to the take-home of the book.
January 29, 2019
"One of the most Funtresting plots I've ever come across in a Middle-Grade novel"
This book absolutely quashed all kinds of presumptions that I had before reading it. What I thought would be routine just-another-simple-middle-grade-novel turned out to be one of the most complex science fiction novels.
Julian Newcomber, the son of the eccentric parents -Mr and Mrs.Newcomber was leading a normal life - what the smart folks call "an average life" until he got his hands on his father's latest invention - The Etab. A hand-held device which Julian later found that, could be used to time travel. Curiosity gets the better of him and he starts to experiment with the idea of traveling back and forth in time.
But the plot takes a bumpy ride when Julian finds himself standing face to face with the Grown-up version of him from the future. Apparently, the Grown-up Julian had lost his cell phone while witnessing the Civil War fold out in front of his eyes. So with the help of Julian, he intends to go back in time to the Civil War era and warn the future version of himself not to lose the cell phone.
The pace of the plot quickens when Grown-up Julian's Etab 2.0 runs out of battery. If both the Julians don't resolve the charging issue, the grown-up Julian would forever be trapped in present-Julian's world.
Did I leave you scratching your head in confusion?
Hehe! The book left me the same way as well. But in this case, the confusion was rather entertaining and fun.
I felt that the concept was interesting - A little boy meeting the grown-up version of himself. The events that followed after their impromptu meeting were funny and the kind conversations they had evoked a great deal of laughter. The eccentric element of his parents was a great touch by the author and it worked out perfectly. Through their witty, funny, quirky dialogues, Mr and Mrs.Newcomber never failed to make me smile. I wish Julian's younger siblings - Olivia and Dylan had more scope in the plot. Though they appeared for a brief period, they made a decent mark.
This book absolutely quashed all kinds of presumptions that I had before reading it. What I thought would be routine just-another-simple-middle-grade-novel turned out to be one of the most complex science fiction novels.
Julian Newcomber, the son of the eccentric parents -Mr and Mrs.Newcomber was leading a normal life - what the smart folks call "an average life" until he got his hands on his father's latest invention - The Etab. A hand-held device which Julian later found that, could be used to time travel. Curiosity gets the better of him and he starts to experiment with the idea of traveling back and forth in time.
But the plot takes a bumpy ride when Julian finds himself standing face to face with the Grown-up version of him from the future. Apparently, the Grown-up Julian had lost his cell phone while witnessing the Civil War fold out in front of his eyes. So with the help of Julian, he intends to go back in time to the Civil War era and warn the future version of himself not to lose the cell phone.
The pace of the plot quickens when Grown-up Julian's Etab 2.0 runs out of battery. If both the Julians don't resolve the charging issue, the grown-up Julian would forever be trapped in present-Julian's world.
Did I leave you scratching your head in confusion?
Hehe! The book left me the same way as well. But in this case, the confusion was rather entertaining and fun.
I felt that the concept was interesting - A little boy meeting the grown-up version of himself. The events that followed after their impromptu meeting were funny and the kind conversations they had evoked a great deal of laughter. The eccentric element of his parents was a great touch by the author and it worked out perfectly. Through their witty, funny, quirky dialogues, Mr and Mrs.Newcomber never failed to make me smile. I wish Julian's younger siblings - Olivia and Dylan had more scope in the plot. Though they appeared for a brief period, they made a decent mark.
June 21, 2019
Science and fun hit quirky humor as a boy, Julian, taps into time travel with unexpected twists and adventure.
Julian is twelve-years old and pretty normal for a kid. That is, if his dad wasn't a genius but mad inventor and his family wasn't constantly moving around. Julian always changes schools and has not only trouble with bullies but also finding friends. Still, none of this is a real problem. When his father invents the eTab, it has an unexpected side-effect. Soon, Julian finds himself leaping back and forth through time. When his older self appears and insists that Julian has effected the timeline and must bring everything back into sync, Julian's life really turns into an adventure.
The book is told in narrative form by Julian. The first couple of chapters give the reader time to sink into his life and world, one which sets the perfect tone. His mother is grounded and keeps life organized, while his father swings in a complete opposite direction as a crazy scientist. The fantasy aspect is clear from the get-go and allows the science to sweep into more fantastical directions. It's action and adventure with a huge does of humor and fun.
There's never a boring moment as Julian finds himself traveling through time. This takes a few new twists on the time travel direction, which give it a refreshing spin. Fun and humor hold firm, making it an enjoyable read, and yet, there are a few messages swung in, which make the reader think.
It's a fun read for humor and adventure fans.
I received a complimentary copy through Library Thing and found this to be such a fun story that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
Julian is twelve-years old and pretty normal for a kid. That is, if his dad wasn't a genius but mad inventor and his family wasn't constantly moving around. Julian always changes schools and has not only trouble with bullies but also finding friends. Still, none of this is a real problem. When his father invents the eTab, it has an unexpected side-effect. Soon, Julian finds himself leaping back and forth through time. When his older self appears and insists that Julian has effected the timeline and must bring everything back into sync, Julian's life really turns into an adventure.
The book is told in narrative form by Julian. The first couple of chapters give the reader time to sink into his life and world, one which sets the perfect tone. His mother is grounded and keeps life organized, while his father swings in a complete opposite direction as a crazy scientist. The fantasy aspect is clear from the get-go and allows the science to sweep into more fantastical directions. It's action and adventure with a huge does of humor and fun.
There's never a boring moment as Julian finds himself traveling through time. This takes a few new twists on the time travel direction, which give it a refreshing spin. Fun and humor hold firm, making it an enjoyable read, and yet, there are a few messages swung in, which make the reader think.
It's a fun read for humor and adventure fans.
I received a complimentary copy through Library Thing and found this to be such a fun story that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
November 6, 2023
Science and fun hit quirky humor as a boy, Julian, taps into time travel with unexpected twists and adventure.
Julian is twelve-years old and pretty normal for a kid. That is, if his dad wasn't a genius but mad inventor and his family wasn't constantly moving around. Julian always changes schools and has not only trouble with bullies but also finding friends. Still, none of this is a real problem. When his father invents the eTab, it has an unexpected side-effect. Soon, Julian finds himself leaping back and forth through time. When his older self appears and insists that Julian has effected the timeline and must bring everything back into sync, Julian's life really turns into an adventure.
The book is told in narrative form by Julian. The first couple of chapters give the reader time to sink into his life and world, one which sets the perfect tone. His mother is grounded and keeps life organized, while his father swings in a complete opposite direction as a crazy scientist. The fantasy aspect is clear from the get-go and allows the science to sweep into more fantastical directions. It's action and adventure with a huge does of humor and fun.
There's never a boring moment as Julian finds himself traveling through time. This takes a few new twists on the time travel direction, which give it a refreshing spin. Fun and humor hold firm, making it an enjoyable read, and yet, there are a few messages swung in, which make the reader think.
It's a fun read for humor and adventure fans.
Julian is twelve-years old and pretty normal for a kid. That is, if his dad wasn't a genius but mad inventor and his family wasn't constantly moving around. Julian always changes schools and has not only trouble with bullies but also finding friends. Still, none of this is a real problem. When his father invents the eTab, it has an unexpected side-effect. Soon, Julian finds himself leaping back and forth through time. When his older self appears and insists that Julian has effected the timeline and must bring everything back into sync, Julian's life really turns into an adventure.
The book is told in narrative form by Julian. The first couple of chapters give the reader time to sink into his life and world, one which sets the perfect tone. His mother is grounded and keeps life organized, while his father swings in a complete opposite direction as a crazy scientist. The fantasy aspect is clear from the get-go and allows the science to sweep into more fantastical directions. It's action and adventure with a huge does of humor and fun.
There's never a boring moment as Julian finds himself traveling through time. This takes a few new twists on the time travel direction, which give it a refreshing spin. Fun and humor hold firm, making it an enjoyable read, and yet, there are a few messages swung in, which make the reader think.
It's a fun read for humor and adventure fans.
January 23, 2020
Oh my gosh, we adored this book! It’s basically every young child’s wildest dream!
Julian’s dad, an eccentric inventor, is constantly moving Julian around from town-to-town. Just when Julian thinks he’s found home, he meets a future version of himself and travels through time with the cool eTab his dad invented. Only Julian ends up on a Civil War battlefield with a device that’s almost dead. A hilarious adventure of the two version of himself have to find their way home before it dies and he’s stuck in the past for good—forever changing the timeline!
An absolutely delightful story that inspired my kids to create pretend tablets that allowed them to travel through time.
Julian’s dad, an eccentric inventor, is constantly moving Julian around from town-to-town. Just when Julian thinks he’s found home, he meets a future version of himself and travels through time with the cool eTab his dad invented. Only Julian ends up on a Civil War battlefield with a device that’s almost dead. A hilarious adventure of the two version of himself have to find their way home before it dies and he’s stuck in the past for good—forever changing the timeline!
An absolutely delightful story that inspired my kids to create pretend tablets that allowed them to travel through time.
February 23, 2019
This book has a lot of potential and a distinct tone of voice. When Julian's 20 year old self bursts into the scene, he has a lot of explaining to do. Such as what happened in the future? The past? And how is time travel even possible, anyway? Filled with sly puns and quick beats of humor, this is sure to entertain the middle grade child interested in humor, science, wacky problems, and even wackier solutions.
Review cross-listed here!
Review cross-listed here!
February 1, 2019
Fine middle grade read, especially for fans of light sci-fi and shenanigans. Do wish it had a bit less of the "smart folks" vocab lessons - maybe if it had led to something it would have been a different story, but as it was, it mostly came off as grating after a while - but a thoroughly satisfactory read.
May 3, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. It was a cute story about Julian and his etab. I don’t want tia spoil what happens but I really enjoyed this one. There were a few quotes that I highlighted because I felt that these were good messages for the intended audience for this book.
May 20, 2019
Reviewed for CM Magazine (U of Manitoba).
May 31, 2019
WHAT ITS ABOUT:
Twelve-year-old Julian Newcomber knows he has a fitting—what the smart folks call apropos—last name. His family moves constantly due to his Dad's quirky inventions, which have a habit of misbehaving and blowing up the family home. So he's always been the new kid in school.
Now firmly settled in a peaceful and close-knit community, Julian believes he's finally found a home, not to mention a safe haven from his father's calamities. That is, until a vaguely familiar 20-year-old man walks out of the bedroom closet, and identifies himself as future Julian.
It turns out that his father's latest contraption, the eTab, alters time. So grown-up Julian decided to take a joyride into the past and dropped his cell phone on a Civil War battlefield. (Who wouldn't want to see Pickett’s Charge, after all?)
With his own eTab too low on juice to take him all the way back to his own time, grown-up Julian needs young Julian to locate a quantity of Cucumium so he can go back to the Civil War and retrieve his cell phone, then get home before his parents find out.
The two Julians break rules, break curfews, and break into the Intermediate School in an effort to locate some Cucumium (though they're not exactly sure what it is), so they won't be forced to share the room and fight over the top bunk forever. Oh, and if grown-up Julian stays, it could, as a side effect, pollute the natural timeline and rewrite history as they know it.
The way the narrator told the story was quite humorous and really kept the reader engaged. Its pretty enjoyable and a quick read, lots of vocabulary words and the characters are funny and relatable and the plot isn't to confusing. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure,sci-fi, and a whole lot of laughter.
Twelve-year-old Julian Newcomber knows he has a fitting—what the smart folks call apropos—last name. His family moves constantly due to his Dad's quirky inventions, which have a habit of misbehaving and blowing up the family home. So he's always been the new kid in school.
Now firmly settled in a peaceful and close-knit community, Julian believes he's finally found a home, not to mention a safe haven from his father's calamities. That is, until a vaguely familiar 20-year-old man walks out of the bedroom closet, and identifies himself as future Julian.
It turns out that his father's latest contraption, the eTab, alters time. So grown-up Julian decided to take a joyride into the past and dropped his cell phone on a Civil War battlefield. (Who wouldn't want to see Pickett’s Charge, after all?)
With his own eTab too low on juice to take him all the way back to his own time, grown-up Julian needs young Julian to locate a quantity of Cucumium so he can go back to the Civil War and retrieve his cell phone, then get home before his parents find out.
The two Julians break rules, break curfews, and break into the Intermediate School in an effort to locate some Cucumium (though they're not exactly sure what it is), so they won't be forced to share the room and fight over the top bunk forever. Oh, and if grown-up Julian stays, it could, as a side effect, pollute the natural timeline and rewrite history as they know it.
The way the narrator told the story was quite humorous and really kept the reader engaged. Its pretty enjoyable and a quick read, lots of vocabulary words and the characters are funny and relatable and the plot isn't to confusing. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure,sci-fi, and a whole lot of laughter.
October 27, 2019
This is the story about a boy whose father is an inventor and likes to tinker around with creating new things. Many of these inventions or attempts at have gone awry causing the family to have to move as the family home was destroyed in explosions.
Julian seems to finally be happy and feels more secure in this new small town which seems to have a feeling of closeness and connectivity among its residents. That is until his fathers latest invention the E-Tab causes a shocking and unnerving feeling when he is confronted by older young man whom claims to be none other than Julian himself albeit 8 years older.
The book takes the pair on an adventure where the older Julian attempts to give advice and wisdom to his younger self without revealing to much about the future, but to also help young Julian become a little less awkward. The reason for the older Julian's visit is that his E-Tab is low on power after he visited the Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg, losing his cell phone. He has come to young Julian's time in order to re-charge the near dead battery of the older Julian's E-Tab, which has a really unique power source. If they fail the older Julian's battery dies completely he will be trapped in the past and time will be altered forever.
I think children will like it, would make for some fun conversations about what you would do if confronted with an older version of yourself. Would you want information that could change or make your decisions easier. As an adult reading this I would have like to have seen the idea of time travel flushed out a little, maybe even going on an adventure together through time. Maybe just maybe the author will write future adventures involving Julian and his time travel adventures.
Julian seems to finally be happy and feels more secure in this new small town which seems to have a feeling of closeness and connectivity among its residents. That is until his fathers latest invention the E-Tab causes a shocking and unnerving feeling when he is confronted by older young man whom claims to be none other than Julian himself albeit 8 years older.
The book takes the pair on an adventure where the older Julian attempts to give advice and wisdom to his younger self without revealing to much about the future, but to also help young Julian become a little less awkward. The reason for the older Julian's visit is that his E-Tab is low on power after he visited the Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg, losing his cell phone. He has come to young Julian's time in order to re-charge the near dead battery of the older Julian's E-Tab, which has a really unique power source. If they fail the older Julian's battery dies completely he will be trapped in the past and time will be altered forever.
I think children will like it, would make for some fun conversations about what you would do if confronted with an older version of yourself. Would you want information that could change or make your decisions easier. As an adult reading this I would have like to have seen the idea of time travel flushed out a little, maybe even going on an adventure together through time. Maybe just maybe the author will write future adventures involving Julian and his time travel adventures.
April 3, 2019
DISCLAIMER: I received a digital review copy of THE EXTRAORDINARY ETAB OF JULIAN NEWCOMBER via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
*3.5 Stars
What is it with me just reading and cutest books right now?
Truth be told, I was kind of bored at the beginning, and I didn’t really feel like I was getting anywhere — to the point of considering DNFing it.
I’m so, so glad I didn’t.
It was so cute and whimsical and I loved the writing style and just — wow I really enjoyed it.
Definitely recommend for fans of Adrienne Kress’s THE EXPLOERERS series.
Will I buy it in June when it gets released? Yes.
*3.5 Stars
What is it with me just reading and cutest books right now?
Truth be told, I was kind of bored at the beginning, and I didn’t really feel like I was getting anywhere — to the point of considering DNFing it.
I’m so, so glad I didn’t.
It was so cute and whimsical and I loved the writing style and just — wow I really enjoyed it.
Definitely recommend for fans of Adrienne Kress’s THE EXPLOERERS series.
Will I buy it in June when it gets released? Yes.
June 7, 2019
This book was, for me, so much fun to read and it had an extremely fascinating plot for a middle-grade novel. Although I am not, I am sure, the intended audience for this book, nevertheless, it was a fabulous, quite complex work of science fiction. I loved the quirky, witty and hugely amusing dialogue and as a complete package, the book made me smile.
Very highly recommended and a well deserved five stars!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from the publisher via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Very highly recommended and a well deserved five stars!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from the publisher via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
March 7, 2025
Julian's father is an inventor, who comes up with strange contraptions. One of his latest inventions is an eTab that lets Julian time travel. Julian has quite the quick wit and handles difficult situations be using his brain to outmaneuver trouble makers. The life lessons are real.
The Extraordinary eTab reminded me of the movie Big which was enjoyable.
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The Extraordinary eTab reminded me of the movie Big which was enjoyable.
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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