What do you think?
Rate this book
The Book of Time Outs: A Mostly True History of the World's Biggest Troublemakers
The next time you get a time out, take this book and read about the most famous and infamous rabble-rousers in history, from Queen Cleopatra to Babe Ruth!
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 8, 2008
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 28, 2013
This book is very offensive to me. I am sorry but Rosa Parks was not a troublemaker. She was a lady that stood up for what was right. If I had the author in front of me I would say WHERE DO YOU GET OFF SAYING ROSA PARKS IS A TROUBLEMAKER????? Forget the one star basically zero stars for me!!!!!!!!!
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Me for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com
In this absolutely hilarious book, children and parents alike are treated to a "Who's Who?" list of troublemakers, beginning all the way back with the Carthaginian General, Hannibal, and ending with Rosa Parks, who got a time out for doing something that wasn't even really wrong!
Deb Lucke presents each character, from Christopher Columbus to Johann Sebastian Bach to Babe Ruth, as people who made mistakes -- and had to pay the price by getting a time out! There's a lesson to be learned in each short story, whether it be the importance of telling the truth or the fact that it's a bad idea to be a marauding pirate, and it's all done with humour and in a way that's easy for kids to understand.
This isn't a book that tells youngsters it's okay to do something they know is wrong, but it is a book that tells them that everyone makes mistakes. And, sometimes, the only way to make up for those mistakes is with a good old-fashioned time out!
This is one title that's sure to be a winner for all ages!
In this absolutely hilarious book, children and parents alike are treated to a "Who's Who?" list of troublemakers, beginning all the way back with the Carthaginian General, Hannibal, and ending with Rosa Parks, who got a time out for doing something that wasn't even really wrong!
Deb Lucke presents each character, from Christopher Columbus to Johann Sebastian Bach to Babe Ruth, as people who made mistakes -- and had to pay the price by getting a time out! There's a lesson to be learned in each short story, whether it be the importance of telling the truth or the fact that it's a bad idea to be a marauding pirate, and it's all done with humour and in a way that's easy for kids to understand.
This isn't a book that tells youngsters it's okay to do something they know is wrong, but it is a book that tells them that everyone makes mistakes. And, sometimes, the only way to make up for those mistakes is with a good old-fashioned time out!
This is one title that's sure to be a winner for all ages!
July 6, 2011
I, occasionally, peruse the juvenile section of the library but I rarely count those books towards my 100 goal (I think if I did I'd be reading 200 before long). Even though I am not counting this towards my reading goal, I felt I needed to share it.
The Book of Time Outs is a collection of historical people who got time outs for a variety of "bad" deeds. It's an interesting concept.
The sections are really short and can be enjoyed by small readers (or listeners who are being read to). I am not certain how historically accurate they are but I can see them creating a spark and a love of history. Each segment is written in a humorous light but tries to show what sort of behavior got each person their time out.
I can't say for certain which is my favorite but I did enjoy the one about Isabel from Spain who refused to bath. She was sentenced for rebellious acts but Deb Lucke infers that it had more to do with her stinkyness than her attitude.
The Book of Time Outs is a collection of historical people who got time outs for a variety of "bad" deeds. It's an interesting concept.
The sections are really short and can be enjoyed by small readers (or listeners who are being read to). I am not certain how historically accurate they are but I can see them creating a spark and a love of history. Each segment is written in a humorous light but tries to show what sort of behavior got each person their time out.
I can't say for certain which is my favorite but I did enjoy the one about Isabel from Spain who refused to bath. She was sentenced for rebellious acts but Deb Lucke infers that it had more to do with her stinkyness than her attitude.
August 12, 2013
A cute and funny way of looking at historical people (and introducing them to kids) who "misbehaved" and needed a "time out" (usually in jail). My three kids (ages 9, 8 & 6) all enjoyed the book for different reasons. The 6-year old boy loved hearing about others getting time-outs. The girls liked hearing about historical people.
At first I was a little weary of the message it was sending when Cleopatra was put in time out for arguing with her sibling, then came out of time out and with the help of an army beat her brother off the thrown to become the sole ruler of Egypt. However, not all the stories were like hers and the end of the book makes it clear that some of the people used their time-outs to really think about things and make it better (Susan B Anthony) and some, who didn't use their time outs wisely, ended up in very, very long and lonely time-outs (Napoleon).
A creative way to present history in a language that kids understand!
At first I was a little weary of the message it was sending when Cleopatra was put in time out for arguing with her sibling, then came out of time out and with the help of an army beat her brother off the thrown to become the sole ruler of Egypt. However, not all the stories were like hers and the end of the book makes it clear that some of the people used their time-outs to really think about things and make it better (Susan B Anthony) and some, who didn't use their time outs wisely, ended up in very, very long and lonely time-outs (Napoleon).
A creative way to present history in a language that kids understand!
April 30, 2013
Our oldest brought this book home from her elementary school library. She thought it was terrific and wanted to share it with us. The narrative is broken up into many different vignettes, with a different person featured on each two-page spread.
The information provided is quite vague and without prior knowledge of each of these individuals, the humor would be easily lost. Most of the characters highlighted are not new to us, so we found the different tales to be quite humorous and I explained and/or quizzed the girls as to what the different 'time-outs' meant in each case.
Overall, we found it to be a very humorous, though not overly informative book. I was surprised that we finished the book all in one reading. The illustrations are colorful and cartoonish and complement the narrative nicely.
The information provided is quite vague and without prior knowledge of each of these individuals, the humor would be easily lost. Most of the characters highlighted are not new to us, so we found the different tales to be quite humorous and I explained and/or quizzed the girls as to what the different 'time-outs' meant in each case.
Overall, we found it to be a very humorous, though not overly informative book. I was surprised that we finished the book all in one reading. The illustrations are colorful and cartoonish and complement the narrative nicely.
April 6, 2008
Chatty, irreverent narrative and outrageous edge-to-edge illustrations portray the crimes and punishments of fourteen famous historical figures as the antics, timeouts and grumblings of unruly children in this hilarious timeout corner staple.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
February 2, 2017
Text: 2 stars
Illustrations: 2 stars
When I picked out this picture book to read, I thought this would be a fun concept; but now that I've read this book, it really doesn't work for me. It trivializes important events in history, and reports partial facts. Even worse, the text lumps the reported rudeness and gluttony of Babe Ruth in with the much needed civil disobedience of Rosa Parks, referring to it all as bad behavior in need of a time out. I think learning should be fun for kids, but history can't be distorted in the process.
Illustrations: 2 stars
When I picked out this picture book to read, I thought this would be a fun concept; but now that I've read this book, it really doesn't work for me. It trivializes important events in history, and reports partial facts. Even worse, the text lumps the reported rudeness and gluttony of Babe Ruth in with the much needed civil disobedience of Rosa Parks, referring to it all as bad behavior in need of a time out. I think learning should be fun for kids, but history can't be distorted in the process.
October 21, 2016
This book is fantastic. Funny and bright colorful fun pictures. (I know...I need a better description than fun, but fun encompasses happiness, joy, pleasing etc) I wish the book wasn't from 2008 or I would nominate if for a beehive book award. It was fun to learn about "Troublemakers" and kids can relate because of the 'time out aspect'! This was very enjoyable!
June 19, 2008
annie picked this book at the library.. yes i finally paid my $17 fine.
Want to read
January 4, 2009OMG--this sounds hilarious! *Click*
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews