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The Time Machine
Illus. in black-and-white. When a turn-of-the-century scientist travels into the distant future in his time machine, he expects to find progress and superior people. But instead he discovers a world in decay. Reading level: 2.4.
Book Details: Format: Paperback Publication Date: 8/18/1990 Pages: 96 Reading Level: Age 6 and Up
Book Details: Format: Paperback Publication Date: 8/18/1990 Pages: 96 Reading Level: Age 6 and Up
Hardcover
First published March 4, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 2, 2017
I like this book. But he only talked about traveling to the future, not the past.
May 2, 2013
The Time Machine by Chris Sasaki is a fantasy mystery of when an inventor who lives in old London builds a time machine. The Inventor, who remains nameless throughout the book, travels to future London where he observes and lives with the people of the above ground called “Eloi,” and the underground people called “Morlocks.” He realizes how nice the Eloi people are because of their peaceful ways, like walking around with robes and sandals on. Though when he comes to discover the disrespectful Morlocks, he realizes that the Eloi live in fear of them. Not only because of the ugly pale ghost-like look they have, but also because of their aggressive behavior, such as grabbing and clawing at you as you walk by them.
The main character, “the Inventor,” has an outgoing personality. I like that he is willing to risk his life for one of the Eloi friends he made. The Inventor also he likes adventures. I don’t like that he makes you think and does not tell you the answer when you ask him. The Eloi are small and weak. They are playful, care for one another, and live a simple life. They are also afraid of the dark. I like everything about the Eloi.
The Morlocks are rude, hairy, ghost-like, and only go out in the dark. I don’t like them because of their behaviors. They are afraid of the light and are pale.
The story is set in 1895 in London. England, a city filled with people and activity. The buildings are old and quaint, as you would expect to find in old London. The future London is boring, hilly and with stark white boring buildings with no architectural details or old English charm.
This book has mysteries that make you want to keep reading and that is what I enjoyed about it. It has good twists and turns in the story. I can’t tell you more because that would give the book away.
The main character, “the Inventor,” has an outgoing personality. I like that he is willing to risk his life for one of the Eloi friends he made. The Inventor also he likes adventures. I don’t like that he makes you think and does not tell you the answer when you ask him. The Eloi are small and weak. They are playful, care for one another, and live a simple life. They are also afraid of the dark. I like everything about the Eloi.
The Morlocks are rude, hairy, ghost-like, and only go out in the dark. I don’t like them because of their behaviors. They are afraid of the light and are pale.
The story is set in 1895 in London. England, a city filled with people and activity. The buildings are old and quaint, as you would expect to find in old London. The future London is boring, hilly and with stark white boring buildings with no architectural details or old English charm.
This book has mysteries that make you want to keep reading and that is what I enjoyed about it. It has good twists and turns in the story. I can’t tell you more because that would give the book away.
March 15, 2009
I really liked The Time Machine.A summary of this story would be,a man invents a time machine.He travels in to the future and meets a little eloi thing named weena.Then she gets eaten by a morlock.Then the time traveler went home again,but the time traveler forgot a camera,so when he got back he grabbed a camera and a knapsack and went back in to the future again.
June 27, 2021
I was curious as to this Classic Start series as to how close they were to the originals - so I read this book as a test. I first read the original Time Machine by H.G. Wells, which I liked a lot, though I didn't always enjoy the 19th century prose. Then immediately afterwards, I read this version. I was concerned it would be too dumbed down since it is aimed at children. Overall, I was quite impressed. Here are my thoughts:
1. Impressive. This was very true to the original. Nothing was left out except what's noted below. It was the book - but in modern prose. Even the thoughts on class struggle are included. The original is pretty short so I have to wonder if longer books have to make tougher choices in what to cut.
2. I only noticed of two instances where it was changed, presumably, for its younger audience. The first is in the original, H.G. Wells speaks of a "negro from Africa" and their understanding of certain advanced technology. Of course that got changed to a working man from London. I mean, that would be changed regardless of the audience and doesn't hurt the story at all. The second change was a bit more significant. In the original, it is pretty explicit that the Morlocks eat the Eloi, but in this adaptation it is only possibly implied. It didn't change the story, but I wonder if stories with more violence, like Dracula, are cleaned up even more.
3. There were a few illustrations - maybe like 12. They were small and in black and white - at least on my kindle. They were nice, I guess, but didn't really add anything to the book.
Anyway, I was quite impressed. I, an adult grown-up, plan to read some of the books in the "Classic Start" series. I felt like, at least in this case, the book really captured the story and spirit of the original.
1. Impressive. This was very true to the original. Nothing was left out except what's noted below. It was the book - but in modern prose. Even the thoughts on class struggle are included. The original is pretty short so I have to wonder if longer books have to make tougher choices in what to cut.
2. I only noticed of two instances where it was changed, presumably, for its younger audience. The first is in the original, H.G. Wells speaks of a "negro from Africa" and their understanding of certain advanced technology. Of course that got changed to a working man from London. I mean, that would be changed regardless of the audience and doesn't hurt the story at all. The second change was a bit more significant. In the original, it is pretty explicit that the Morlocks eat the Eloi, but in this adaptation it is only possibly implied. It didn't change the story, but I wonder if stories with more violence, like Dracula, are cleaned up even more.
3. There were a few illustrations - maybe like 12. They were small and in black and white - at least on my kindle. They were nice, I guess, but didn't really add anything to the book.
Anyway, I was quite impressed. I, an adult grown-up, plan to read some of the books in the "Classic Start" series. I felt like, at least in this case, the book really captured the story and spirit of the original.
November 3, 2021
This sedition of the book is an accessible edition of the classic written by H.G.Wells, this book also has some sketches which enhance the experience of the reading. I always love books which I am able to visualize in my mind, because these books help me transport myself to their setting, and give me more rich experience while reading.
The story is about an inventor who remains unnamed throughout the book, its about his adventures when he travels thousands of years in the future, and experiences the shift the nature of humanity through Eloi & the Morlocks.
But instead of Eloi & Morlocks times, I was more haunted by the time when the time traveler goes to that part of the future when the sun has basically become a red giant which caused distortions of large scale on Earth such as disappearance of waves in Sea or the air getting more harder to breath, those descriptions are really haunting, because it would really provide him with the experience of last man on earth.
Overall for a book I read in 1.5 hours, I really enjoyed everything about this book, and afterwards when I told this story to my daughter of 5 years she too enjoyed it immensely.
I give it 4/5 stars.
The story is about an inventor who remains unnamed throughout the book, its about his adventures when he travels thousands of years in the future, and experiences the shift the nature of humanity through Eloi & the Morlocks.
But instead of Eloi & Morlocks times, I was more haunted by the time when the time traveler goes to that part of the future when the sun has basically become a red giant which caused distortions of large scale on Earth such as disappearance of waves in Sea or the air getting more harder to breath, those descriptions are really haunting, because it would really provide him with the experience of last man on earth.
Overall for a book I read in 1.5 hours, I really enjoyed everything about this book, and afterwards when I told this story to my daughter of 5 years she too enjoyed it immensely.
I give it 4/5 stars.
January 22, 2021
This classic is one I had never read before! Our local science museum is hosting a virtual book club and I couldn’t resist taking it for a spin. The Traveler is a great inventor who creates a time machine and travels to the future. He is fascinated by the peace he feels he’s discovered but quickly realizes what you see on the surface isn’t always as it seems. He quickly realizes that the Eloi he has grown to love live in fear of the Marlocks who live below the surface. He see’s how over time, they’ve come to depend on each other but violence and fear are still a part of the world. He grows attached to one particular Eloi, Weena. Weena teaches him that although there is darkness in the world, kindness, love, and beauty still surround us. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and feel like this was a great children’s adaptation. However, I believe the recommend age group is far fetched. I would say 10-14 rather than the recommended 6-8.
March 31, 2020
This is another book that I read aloud to Daniel. We enjoy this bedtime habit so much. I love it when he asks me to keep reading. I'm so glad that I have been encouraged to continue to read aloud to my kids, no matter their age. We liked the beginning of this book, but in the middle, we both started questioning the thinking of the main character of the book, the time traveler. We talked about his choices and thought we would have done things differently. The part that was very strange, was the middle of the book when the time traveler ended up in the land of the Eloi and the Morlocks. What a strange land, so many questions we were left wondering about. Remember the Eloi that he saved and befriended, Weena. I liked the last statement of the book: "The flowers tell me that the human heart is still filled with kindness and love - even in the distant future."
November 15, 2018
I enjoyed this version because I think it is a great way to introduce classics to younger readers. One of the nicer features is a list of questions in the back -- the types of discussion questions you would expect for a writing assignment or book club. As for the book itself, I have never read the original but I didn't find the story very compelling. I am just so spoiled with current science fiction that the story seemed completely unbelievable to me.
October 1, 2017
This book is a good introduction to the classic book The Time Machine. My only problem with it is that it is intended for readers aged 6 and up, but the ideas in the book are still a bit complicated for an eight-year-old to muddle through. It did lead to some interesting discussions, though, and maybe he'll be willing to read the 'real' book when he is older.
December 27, 2021
A lot of journeys, moving forward and moving back in time. I enjoyed his adventures to the future where he met so many different creatures. The underground creatures don't like the sunshine. The time he met a human-like girl. I really loved the story.
December 29, 2017
It's a classic, of course. I found the allusions to current society interesting. It is a quick read & worth your time.
November 15, 2017
it was good
February 2, 2018
Read it with my students; easy introduction into sci-fi and the kids loved it.
Read
February 5, 2021read for work. no review
September 16, 2022
The book is very interesting and very suspenseful. It’s also kid friendly. 10/10 would read again.
January 3, 2017
Actually, I read this book in the original, long ago.
March 26, 2013
Although I didn't read the original version, after reading this shorter version (meant for juvenile readers, technically), I'm very interested to track down the original. The story is about the Time Traveler, who is the unnamed narrator for a good chunk of the book as he describes what it was he saw in the eight hours he'd been gone.
Though it's easier to read, the literary themes and possible discussions about humanity and where our actions take us in the future are easy to spot. If someone was wanting to get their kid into reading classic novels without having them loathe it (like most do when English teachers shove it at them), this would be a good start. It's interesting, easy to understand but still with great vocabulary and can open up discussion on more detailed level if desired.
Though it's easier to read, the literary themes and possible discussions about humanity and where our actions take us in the future are easy to spot. If someone was wanting to get their kid into reading classic novels without having them loathe it (like most do when English teachers shove it at them), this would be a good start. It's interesting, easy to understand but still with great vocabulary and can open up discussion on more detailed level if desired.
August 20, 2012
The time traveler, who apparently didn't have a name, is the hero of the story. He lost his time machine because the villain in the story, a group of creatures called the morlocks, hid his time machine. He ran into the morlocks in the future, and somehow they took it from him. He eventually found the machine with help from his friend Weena in the base of a building called the Sphinx.
I liked about this book: there were really interesting scientific facts, but some of the facts were science fiction.
I liked the way the author described things, like when the time traveler made friends with Weena.
I liked about this book: there were really interesting scientific facts, but some of the facts were science fiction.
I liked the way the author described things, like when the time traveler made friends with Weena.
August 24, 2014
We have this feeling of wanting to know the future or expecting the future to be always better than the present.What if we found out that instead of developing the human race retrocessed? And the only hope was love all over again?
"The flowers tell me that the human heart is still filled with kindness and love - even in the distant future" Loved it. Now I'll read the unabridged version.
"The flowers tell me that the human heart is still filled with kindness and love - even in the distant future" Loved it. Now I'll read the unabridged version.
November 8, 2013
Its awsome its my dream to read my book
February 20, 2014
The Time Traveler went 8,000 years in the future. He thought that people were rich and knew more stuff but they were poor and weak. They got their food from human ape monsters.
January 4, 2015
Great beginner/introduction to the classics. I read most books along side my son and this was a neat take on time travel and our society.
January 14, 2015
Read this to my big girl and it was a great journey together. Given that Rod Taylor died the week we were reading it we will have to watch the movie.
January 18, 2015
A nice book. I wish there were more illustrations (since it is intended for children). And perhaps it could be even more abridged.
August 25, 2015
The 5th grader thought it was fun, but got boring toward the end (I sort of have to agree with him:).
January 18, 2016
Okay. Nice book. A bit confusing.
December 28, 2019
The Time Machine, originally written by H. G. Wells and published in 1895, is an incredible adventure. This Classic Starts edition is well written for younger readers.
March 27, 2015
Great book
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews