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Qwerty Stevens #2
Back in Time With Benjamin Franklin: A Qwerty Stevens Adventure
After accidentally sucking Benjamin Franklin into twenty-first-century New Jersey with his Anytime Anywhere machine, thirteen-year-old Qwerty Stevens and his best friend almost wind up stuck in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 when they try to send him back.
183 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2002
5 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Dan Gutman
356 books1,019 followersThe author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD."
Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.
Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 21, 2012
Many students are familiar with Dan Gutman’s books. He is the author of The Homework Machine,The Million Dollar Shot, The Talent Show and the My Weird School series. He has a series of books that begin with Honus & Me which involve a magic baseball card possessing the power to transport its owner into the life and times of famous baseball players. Somewhat less well known are his Qwerty Stevens time travel adventures with Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin and Race for the Sky: The Kittyhawk Diaries.
These stories are a fantastic blend of historical fact and fiction. As a student I was never really interested in learning history. I thought it was boring. I didn’t realize that reading the books in grade school about the baseball star Ty Cobb and Corrie Ten Boom’s autobiography from World War II–books I vividly recall to this very day–were history brought to life.
The connection between the two was not shown to me until I met Sister Mary Thomas. Sister Mary Thomas was a tiny little woman who wore glasses so thick they made her resemble a comical bug-eyed frog–and she would be the first person to tell you so with a sparkling laugh. She was born in North Dakota, hated geese (which is why you were not allowed to make the “Shh!” sound in her class), loved to read and ADORED history–especially Andrew Jackson.
The year I spent in Sr. Mary Thomas’ Advanced History class taught me that history could be exciting and interesting. In the years since that high school history class I have discovered the world of art history, French history, early 19th and 20th century American history, the history of dance and theatre and the remarkable stories of extraordinary individuals both past and present. (At one point I even considered a career as an art historian!)
Discovering Dan Gutman’s historical fiction brought back all that excitement. I discovered numerous things about Edison, Franklin, and the Wright brothers and their historic Kittyhawk adventures of which I was unaware. Gutman’s stories brought those times and those historical figures vividly to life in my imagination.
I highly recommend these books–as well as his entire body of work–as both independent and read-aloud choices! They probably work best for 3rd-7th grade, but, as always, could extend on either side of that range depending on the individual.
These stories are a fantastic blend of historical fact and fiction. As a student I was never really interested in learning history. I thought it was boring. I didn’t realize that reading the books in grade school about the baseball star Ty Cobb and Corrie Ten Boom’s autobiography from World War II–books I vividly recall to this very day–were history brought to life.
The connection between the two was not shown to me until I met Sister Mary Thomas. Sister Mary Thomas was a tiny little woman who wore glasses so thick they made her resemble a comical bug-eyed frog–and she would be the first person to tell you so with a sparkling laugh. She was born in North Dakota, hated geese (which is why you were not allowed to make the “Shh!” sound in her class), loved to read and ADORED history–especially Andrew Jackson.
The year I spent in Sr. Mary Thomas’ Advanced History class taught me that history could be exciting and interesting. In the years since that high school history class I have discovered the world of art history, French history, early 19th and 20th century American history, the history of dance and theatre and the remarkable stories of extraordinary individuals both past and present. (At one point I even considered a career as an art historian!)
Discovering Dan Gutman’s historical fiction brought back all that excitement. I discovered numerous things about Edison, Franklin, and the Wright brothers and their historic Kittyhawk adventures of which I was unaware. Gutman’s stories brought those times and those historical figures vividly to life in my imagination.
I highly recommend these books–as well as his entire body of work–as both independent and read-aloud choices! They probably work best for 3rd-7th grade, but, as always, could extend on either side of that range depending on the individual.
March 2, 2014
My 10 year old sons and I really enjoyed this book. It is the second in the Qwerty Stevens/Anytime, Anywhere Machine (or Back in Time) series.
First, Qwerty and his friend Joey accidentally bring Benjamin Franklin to the present day. Then they go back with him to July 4, 1776 to witness the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But will bad guy Ashley Quadrel prevent the Founding Fathers from declaring independence? And will Qwerty and Joey get back to the present day?
Along the way, the reader becomes acquainted with the charming Ben Franklin, learns some American history, and has some good laughs. Dan Gutman at the top of his game.
First, Qwerty and his friend Joey accidentally bring Benjamin Franklin to the present day. Then they go back with him to July 4, 1776 to witness the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But will bad guy Ashley Quadrel prevent the Founding Fathers from declaring independence? And will Qwerty and Joey get back to the present day?
Along the way, the reader becomes acquainted with the charming Ben Franklin, learns some American history, and has some good laughs. Dan Gutman at the top of his game.
February 25, 2011
Some may be shocked by my 4 star rating on this one. Maybe I am giving it four stars because I had such low expectations. This is the second in a series of books about a kid who finds a time machine. This adventure centers around Benjamin FRanklin and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is actually laugh out loud finny and weaves historical facts into the text very well.
October 3, 2023
"Back in Time with Benjamin Franklin" has to be one of the oddest children's books I've read in a while, as well as one of the most entertaining (and surreptitiously educational). I am puzzled why so many people were bored by it. The story takes a standard adventure plot with a couple of boys using their magical time-machine to go back to 1776, thwart the bad guy, save the day, and be back in time for dinner.
The characterization is good: one middle-school tech nerd, one sensible pal for contrast, and a very entertaining and likable Benjamin Franklin who is game for anything our hero can dream up. You hardly notice that there's a fair bit about the signing of the Declaration of Independence along the way.
What age this appeals to is a good question. Most kids of all ages like adventure stories, although the plot here is perhaps a little complex for a preschooler. The two boys in the story are seventh graders, but the text should be accessible to much younger readers. I'd say the sweet spot was around 7-10 years of age.
I do have one serious criticism of the book, which is why it only has four stars: Our hero describes himself as 'disabled' a couple of times, and there are several references to his parents nagging him to keep his appointments with his doctor. If you haven't guessed, his 'disability' is a tendency to leave his homework until the last minute.
I thoroughly dislike the medicalization of normal behavior and cannot see why this topic was inserted into a children's story book. My guess is that most children will ignore the references, or simply be puzzled by it. If the author wanted to make a point about the removal of academic rigor from schools, the predictable increase in children's boredom, and the pathologization of that boredom, this wasn't the place to make it.
The characterization is good: one middle-school tech nerd, one sensible pal for contrast, and a very entertaining and likable Benjamin Franklin who is game for anything our hero can dream up. You hardly notice that there's a fair bit about the signing of the Declaration of Independence along the way.
What age this appeals to is a good question. Most kids of all ages like adventure stories, although the plot here is perhaps a little complex for a preschooler. The two boys in the story are seventh graders, but the text should be accessible to much younger readers. I'd say the sweet spot was around 7-10 years of age.
"Each of the delegates already had a copy of the Declaration of Independence on the table in front of him. Some had scribbled comments in the margins using the quill pens that sat on each table. A fresh copy was given to Franklin, and he began to read it out loud."
I do have one serious criticism of the book, which is why it only has four stars: Our hero describes himself as 'disabled' a couple of times, and there are several references to his parents nagging him to keep his appointments with his doctor. If you haven't guessed, his 'disability' is a tendency to leave his homework until the last minute.
I thoroughly dislike the medicalization of normal behavior and cannot see why this topic was inserted into a children's story book. My guess is that most children will ignore the references, or simply be puzzled by it. If the author wanted to make a point about the removal of academic rigor from schools, the predictable increase in children's boredom, and the pathologization of that boredom, this wasn't the place to make it.
July 2, 2024
3.5 stars Dan Gutman is always good for a laugh. I was driving in rural Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia and needed to stay awake and this as a fun adventure and mixed with history-like info. I am not going to be taking air baths any time soon. LOL!
November 24, 2022
The story is best for tweens.
May 15, 2015
Qwerty Stevens Stuck In Time With Benjamin Franklin by Dan Gutman. This book Qwerty stevens stuck in time is one of the worst books I have ever read because I just don’t think that he came up with any good ideas except to make Qwerty’s name cool because it is the first 6 letters on the keyboard which I thought was pretty cool. I think the author just thought of an idea in his head and wrote it down instead of creating a graphic organiser or something. I quit near the end of the book because I was like basically falling asleep during it. I rate this book 2 stars because like I said one of the worst books I ever read.
June 13, 2008
I found this book a bit slow. When I am reading it, it's good, but when I put it down I don't have that desire to get right back to it. My library students really love Dan Gutman books, and that is very important.
May 30, 2008
This is the second book I had read of Back in Time series. I love Qwerty Stevens's adventure, I had learnt the history of independent of United State of Americaon in this book.
May 23, 2008
This book tells about Benjamin Franklin and I felt like I was back in time.
July 1, 2011
Summary:
Qwerty forgets to write his report on the American Revolution. In the short amount of time he spends throwing a report together, he accidentally brings Benjamin Franklin into the present.
Qwerty forgets to write his report on the American Revolution. In the short amount of time he spends throwing a report together, he accidentally brings Benjamin Franklin into the present.
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September 26, 2012this book was funny and educational as well
August 22, 2014
it was an amazing book to read so I recommend this book to all ages
October 10, 2014
I think this book was an interesting twist on history.
March 7, 2012
"It was HILARIOUSLY funny, it would be stupid just to rate it 3!" - 9yr
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews