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71st out of 156 books
—
218 voters
London Calling
by
Edward Bloor
Martin Conway comes from a family filled with heroes and disgraces. His grandfather was a statesman who worked at the US Embassy in London during WWII. His father is an alcoholic who left his family. His sister is an overachieving Ivy League graduate. And Martin? Martin is stuck in between--floundering.
But during the summer after 7th grade, Martin meets a boy who will chan...more
But during the summer after 7th grade, Martin meets a boy who will chan...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
September 26th 2006
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
(first published 2006)
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Wow! This is a great book. I picked it up at random at the library. The prologue grabbed me, then the next few chapters had me wondering what it had to do with the story. But the story rolled like a train gathering speed until you knew the destination and wondered how the protagonist was going to get there. On his way he took his whole family to a new destination and ... well, you'll have to read it yourself.
I would agree with the library that this is a teen/young adult novel, mostly because the...more
I would agree with the library that this is a teen/young adult novel, mostly because the...more
Martin’s grandmother has recently died, and left him an old fashioned radio—the kind from the 1940s. He’s excited to have it, as he’s been relatively close to his grandmother. Little does he realize, though, that this radio is going to be a time machine of sorts. Through the static comes the story of Jimmy, a boy who lived in London during the Blitz, and he manages to get his story told through Martin, and several truths about events that happened between the United States and England politicall...more
My ten year old selected this from the library when another book by the same author wasn't available. I picked it up to read between chapters of a non-fiction book. Little did I know how much I would enjoy London Calling - it's very appropriate for younger readers, but contains a depth that kept me fully engaged.
London Calling follows young Martin Mehan through time to the blitz of London during WWII. While I love history from before the 20th century, I'm not at all well-versed in the history of...more
London Calling follows young Martin Mehan through time to the blitz of London during WWII. While I love history from before the 20th century, I'm not at all well-versed in the history of...more
"London is calling", and I should have hung up. I only read the book to the end, so that I could review it completely. One star because Bloor wrote a book and the other star because I like his rather simplictic prose style. That's it. Johnny the teenage main character who lives in modern day New Jersey inherits an old fashioned World War II radio which mysteriously connects with the World War II London boy named Jimmy as Johnny time travels to the 1940's. Leaving his dysfuctional family behind J...more
Having really enjoyed Bloor's Tangerine, and being a big fan of the classic Clash album, I was excited to read London Calling. Bloor's novel is a tale of courage, forgiveness, and family that crosses decades and oceans by means of a time-traveling radio.
Martin is a student at a prestigious private school in central New Jersey. He is content to spend his summer vacation cooped up in his basement, instant-messaging with friends and reading. When his grandmother passes away, though, and Martin inhe...more
Martin is a student at a prestigious private school in central New Jersey. He is content to spend his summer vacation cooped up in his basement, instant-messaging with friends and reading. When his grandmother passes away, though, and Martin inhe...more
This is the third book I've read in my Edward Bloor binge, and my least favorite so far. Unlike "Tangerine" and "Crusader", "London Calling" is a something of a fantasy novel. The main character, a contemporary Catholic teenage guy, travels back to 1940s London to right a wrong. The thing about time travel YA novels is that they're mostly all very much alike. Things that made this one stand out a little were the protagonist's Catholicism--there are several scenes where he prays and where Mass, G...more
Edward Bloor’s London Calling a compelling science fiction history novel that pulled me in and never let go.
The theme of this book is a teenage boy finding himself. He learns to trust himself and realizes that his life is worth something after all.
The style of Bloor left nothing to be desired. Bloor gives a very real sense of where the book is set. I could almost hear the main character describing his adventures. The narrator is not unique in his way of presenting his story but the writing is...more
The theme of this book is a teenage boy finding himself. He learns to trust himself and realizes that his life is worth something after all.
The style of Bloor left nothing to be desired. Bloor gives a very real sense of where the book is set. I could almost hear the main character describing his adventures. The narrator is not unique in his way of presenting his story but the writing is...more
London Calling
by Edward Bloor
Martin Conway lives in the shadow of his grandfather’s memory, who lived at the American Embassy in London during WWII and served the famous General “Hollerin’ Hank” Lowery. In fact, the prep school Martin attends is funded in Lowery’s memory, and Lowery’s grandson attends there also, bullying Martin and the other “Scholarship” kids. Martin longs to go to Garden State Middle and escape the family legacy, so much so that he sinks into a deep depression. And it is one...more
by Edward Bloor
Martin Conway lives in the shadow of his grandfather’s memory, who lived at the American Embassy in London during WWII and served the famous General “Hollerin’ Hank” Lowery. In fact, the prep school Martin attends is funded in Lowery’s memory, and Lowery’s grandson attends there also, bullying Martin and the other “Scholarship” kids. Martin longs to go to Garden State Middle and escape the family legacy, so much so that he sinks into a deep depression. And it is one...more
"History repeats itself only in that, from afar, we all seem to lead exactly the same life. We are all born; we all spend time here on earth; we all die. But up close, we have each walked down our own separate paths. We have stood at our own lonely crossroads. We have touched the lives of others at crucial points, for better or for worse. In the end, each of us has lived a unique life story, astounding and complicated, a story that could never be repeated."
—London Calling, P. 1
I have now read...more
—London Calling, P. 1
I have now read...more
I thought this was really excellent, and I might reasonably credit this book as the one that got me to appreciate the joy of audio books. The story pulls you in so quickly, and makes you feel so strongly for the characters and their disappointments, but also their hope, when it does show up. Martin Conway is a 13 year old kid on a scholarship at an expensive Catholic school that he hates. His mother's sense of honor won't let him leave the school, and he's pretty depressed. He's also victimized...more
Dec 11, 2011
Beverly
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
10-13 year olds
Recommended to Beverly by:
YALSA
Shelves:
young-adult-books
London Calling is part historical fiction and part realistic fiction. I think it would have been a much stronger book if Edward Bloor had focused more on the historical fiction story. Martin is a sullen, withdrawn young teen trying to survive being bullied at his elite prep school and recover from the loss of his much loved grandmother. When Martin starts listening to the 1930's radio left to him by his grandmother, he travels back to WWII Blitzkreig era London. Every time he travels back in tim...more
It seems that is has been ages since I have seen anything from Edward Bloor - who wrote one of my favorite YA books - Tangerine. I was excited to see this book at the library book sale. The main character, Johnny, inherits an old 1920s cathedral radio from his grandmother, who is said to have had rather mystical powers. This radio has the power to send him back to World War II London, where he meets a young boy named Jimmy. Jimmy tells him that when you die, only one question matters. It is "Wha...more
Recommended for gr. 5-9. This is a contemporary story of Martin Conway, who does not fit in at his private school (he attends because his mother works in the office and gets free tuition). He and some friends are bullied by a gang led by Hank Lowery, the grandson of a WWII hero who gave a lot of money to the school. Martin inherits a 1940's era radio that belonged to his grandmother. While listening to the radio, he is transported to 1940 London where he meets a young boy named Jimmy. As he lear...more
London Calling tells the story of Martin, a teenaged highschool student living with his mother and sister in New Jersey. Martin does not fit in at the exclusive private school where his mother works as a secretary; nor does Martin find inspiration outside of the classroom, rarely venturing out of the family basement that serves as his room. However, when Martin's grandmother starts calling him late at night with cryptic spiritual messages, it starts him on a journey that will change his life, an...more
John Martin Conway lives in the shadow of World War II heroes. Through his classmates, his school, and his own family, he is surrounded by stories of bravery and perseverance. John himself seems to be cracking under the pressure to be great and takes to hiding out in his basement. When his grandmother dies, she leaves him an old 1940s radio, which becomes a link through which he time-travels to London in 1940. In the height of the German bombings, John must now figure out a way to help a mysteri...more
Fun YA read by the author of Tangerine>. This time travel story depicts a teen named Martin who is transported through a mysterious radio to London in 1940. It was during the worst days of blitz, and Martin slowly learns through Jimmy, a boy he encounters time and again in these "dreams," that he has some kind of role to play, something useful to do. Somehow, whatever it is that Martin is supposed to do, it all relates to Jimmy and, oddly enough, to Martin and his family as well. Through the...more
This was such a good book. Unfortunately, with the audio I think I accidentally tuned out a few times and missed some great parts. Not that it was the book's fault or the narrator's fault. It was me and the particular work I was doing as I listened. I got distracted and missed things that I know would have made the book even more enjoyable. If I ever find the time, I would want to reread this one again, but would try print. It's quite well-written. Great story, plot, and flow. Good lessons if yo...more
At first, I thought that this might be a thrilling ghost story. I mean, it involves the Blitz, a dead London boy asking for help through an old radio, and one of the most fascinating times in history - WWII. There are a lot of directions this story could have taken - and all of them interesting. And I am extremely sorry to say that the direction it settled on is anything but exciting, intriguing, or mysterious. A perfectly good era wasted. There is nothing sinister or even urgent about Jimmy's g...more
My son asked me to read this young adult novel, and because he asked, I picked it up. I'm so glad I did. As usual, his story sense is unerring.
This is a moving novel set partly in the present and partly in WWII London during the Blitz. It's a story about two boys who stretch across time and space to do "their bit."
Bloor must know children and teens because he gives realistic dialogue (thank goodness), and he understands the desires of the human heart.
There is faith in this book, and it's the dee...more
This is a moving novel set partly in the present and partly in WWII London during the Blitz. It's a story about two boys who stretch across time and space to do "their bit."
Bloor must know children and teens because he gives realistic dialogue (thank goodness), and he understands the desires of the human heart.
There is faith in this book, and it's the dee...more
Oct 16, 2009
Kaci
added it
I didn't really care for this book. I was reading it for one of the English teachers to see if it would be a good one to read with some of her lower reading level 7th grade classes. It was about a boy who transports back in time to London during the WWII air raids through the static of an old radio. He is supposed to give a message from a little boy who was killed in the bombings to his father who survived the war and is currently living in a small town in England very bitter and holding on to a...more
I wanted to like this more, since any YA book about the blitz neatly combines two of my more obvious obsessions. I also liked Tangerine, which gave me pretty high hopes. So when I realized that the characterization was mediocre to weak, the frame of the book was essentially meaningless, and the plot revolved not just around realistic "time travel" dream sequences but actual religious belief, that was pretty disappointing. Not a terrible book, and certainly helpful reading for a middle school or...more
London Calling is the story of a young man in the 21st century trying to make life bearable in a school he hates with a family that doesn't understand him. His encounters with a boy from World War 2 London during the blitz help him to gather perspective and find courage and purpose in his own life. Although you might here this book described as a ghost story, I found it more spiritual. After all, I think we all wrestle with the question, "Did I do my part?" for the world. It's comforting to be r...more
This book has such a wonderful title, an odd cover, and discusses a historical topic that is of particular interest to me - the London Blitz, or the Battle of Britain.
Unfortunately, this book was a complete disappointment. Mostly because it is so overtly religious and preachy, all the way through to the grand finale. As a non-Christian, I find this very hard to stomach. I didn't pick up this book to be converted to Catholicism.
There are other problems, too. The plot is somewhat fragmented, and t...more
Unfortunately, this book was a complete disappointment. Mostly because it is so overtly religious and preachy, all the way through to the grand finale. As a non-Christian, I find this very hard to stomach. I didn't pick up this book to be converted to Catholicism.
There are other problems, too. The plot is somewhat fragmented, and t...more
I quite liked this one. Not as good as Tangerine, which blew me away, but still very good. It was a quick, but deep read.
I expected to spend more time in the past, but the time spent in London turned out to be a catalyst for the rest of the story rather than being a significant part of the story on its own. In the brief time we spent in the Blitz-ridden London, we come to know the people, but the historic setting is not described in great detail.
At its core the book is about history and heroes....more
I expected to spend more time in the past, but the time spent in London turned out to be a catalyst for the rest of the story rather than being a significant part of the story on its own. In the brief time we spent in the Blitz-ridden London, we come to know the people, but the historic setting is not described in great detail.
At its core the book is about history and heroes....more
Martin Conway is a seventh grader who hates his school. He attends exclusive All Souls Prep on a scholarship because his mother works there as a secretary. There is a lot of ugly tension and history between the rich kids at All Souls and the scholarship kids. In the opening pages of the book, Martin gets into a fight with the great-grandson of the school's founder, Henry Lowery, on the last day of class. Over the summer, he becomes more and more withdrawn and depressed, and rarely emerges from h...more
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book after having read Tangerine a while back. I liked Tangerine, but it seemed like I was always waiting for something drastic to happen and it never did. I picked this book because I love to read about WWII and the people of that time. I was not disappointed with this book. A beautiful story of a teenage boy who died in the London Blitz in 1940 who wants only to help his father who can't forgive himself for the death of his only son. It is very well done...more
Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com
LONDON CALLING opens with a fight at school between the rich boys and the scholarship boys. A stone hits one of the statues in the new walkway causing damage. The commotion from the fight catches the attention of the headmaster who decides that he will determine the punishment at the end of the summer vacation. Martin dreads going back for this meeting. He hates the school so much that he requests to have independent studies for the entire new scho...more
LONDON CALLING opens with a fight at school between the rich boys and the scholarship boys. A stone hits one of the statues in the new walkway causing damage. The commotion from the fight catches the attention of the headmaster who decides that he will determine the punishment at the end of the summer vacation. Martin dreads going back for this meeting. He hates the school so much that he requests to have independent studies for the entire new scho...more
I only read a third of this before before I finally could not take anymore. The main character, Martin Conway, has no personality and spends his entire summer vacation sleeping. The author isn't very good at writing the dialogue of 12-year-old boys; what average seventh-grade boy types online instant messages in complete sentences as if he is writing a high school English paper? Apparently every single one in America, according to the author. And Edward Bloor must not have heard many conversatio...more
with the exception of picture books, this was my first cover to cover read-aloud to a class. my cooperating teacher picked it for me during my practicum last spring. i wish i could say that it consequently holds a special place in my heart, but it was really just ok. there was just too much going on, which left no time for bloom to develope the chararacters as well as he did in tangereine. plus the kids didn't haven't any prior knowledge about WWI and so it was difficult for them to fallow. oh,...more
The war-torn streets of 1940’s London are calling Martin Conway. It’s a time when World War II has brought excessive bombing to the city and families are being torn apart in order to flee the war. But, Martin knows nothing of this time because he lives in suburban New Jersey more than 60 years after World War II. But, his dreams of this time are becoming more and more vivid.
On the first night, he finds himself in the house of a boy named Jimmy. The war is raging outside and all Jimmy can talk...more
On the first night, he finds himself in the house of a boy named Jimmy. The war is raging outside and all Jimmy can talk...more
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Edward (William) Bloor
Personal Information: Born October 12, 1950, in Trenton, NJ; son of Edward William and Mary (Cowley) Bloor; married Pamela Dixon (a teacher), August 4, 1984. Father to a daughter and a son. Education: Fordham University, B.A., 1973.
Career: Novelist and editor. English teacher in Florida public high schools, 1983-86; Harcourt Brace School Publishers, Orlando, FL, senior editor...more
More about Edward Bloor...
Personal Information: Born October 12, 1950, in Trenton, NJ; son of Edward William and Mary (Cowley) Bloor; married Pamela Dixon (a teacher), August 4, 1984. Father to a daughter and a son. Education: Fordham University, B.A., 1973.
Career: Novelist and editor. English teacher in Florida public high schools, 1983-86; Harcourt Brace School Publishers, Orlando, FL, senior editor...more
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“Remember that, lad, if you never remember anything else. We all touch each other's lives, for better or for worse. So say the things you have to say to people while you still have the chance.”
—
12 people liked it
“Life is complicated. You don't only have two simple choices: drunk or teetotaler; saint or sinner. It's more complicated than that.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
Feb 08, 2009 05:41pm