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Big Papa and the Time Machine: A Heartfelt Story About a Grandfather, Grandson, and African American History for Kids
Discover the true meaning of being brave in this tender and whimsical picture book from Daniel Bernstrom (One Day in the Eucalytus, Eucalyptus Tree) and Shane Evans (Chocolate Me!) that follows a grandfather and grandson who travel through time in a beloved 1952 Ford.
A little boy who lives with his grandpa isn’t reprimanded for being afraid to go to school one day. Instead, Big Papa takes him away in his time machine—a 1952 Ford—back to all of the times when he, himself, was scared of something life was handing him.
Full of heartfelt moments and thrilling magical realism, Big Papa and the Time Machine speaks to the African American experience in a touching dialogue between two family members from different generations, and emerges as a voice that shares history and asks questions about one family’s experience in 20th-century black America.
“Wasn’t you scared?”
“Oh, I was scared,” Big Papa said. “Sometimes you gotta walk with giants if you ever gonna know what you made of. That’s called being brave.”
A little boy who lives with his grandpa isn’t reprimanded for being afraid to go to school one day. Instead, Big Papa takes him away in his time machine—a 1952 Ford—back to all of the times when he, himself, was scared of something life was handing him.
Full of heartfelt moments and thrilling magical realism, Big Papa and the Time Machine speaks to the African American experience in a touching dialogue between two family members from different generations, and emerges as a voice that shares history and asks questions about one family’s experience in 20th-century black America.
“Wasn’t you scared?”
“Oh, I was scared,” Big Papa said. “Sometimes you gotta walk with giants if you ever gonna know what you made of. That’s called being brave.”
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2020
3 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
February 10, 2020
So many ways to be brave. So many ways to show love. I wasn't expecting to like this at all, but was quietly won over.
March 30, 2020
This is a tender-hearted story about the love between a grandfather (AKA Papa) and his grandson, who doesn’t want to go to school. Papa takes him back through time, showing him moments where bravery was necessary in order to move forward.
There’s an author’s note in the back about Daniel Bernstrom’s childhood of growing up adopted and not knowing about his history. He didn’t meet his grandfather until he was eighteen — that’s when he learned about his African American story. There’s also an illustrator’s note about the challenges of interpreting this story of time travel in artwork. The artist used patience, skill, mixed media, pen, alkyd paint, and digital media tools to create the illustrations in this book.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
There’s an author’s note in the back about Daniel Bernstrom’s childhood of growing up adopted and not knowing about his history. He didn’t meet his grandfather until he was eighteen — that’s when he learned about his African American story. There’s also an illustrator’s note about the challenges of interpreting this story of time travel in artwork. The artist used patience, skill, mixed media, pen, alkyd paint, and digital media tools to create the illustrations in this book.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
December 1, 2019
Wow. I absolutely loved the art in this book (super dreamlike!) but I especially loved the story and the message. A powerful book about being brave while covering some crucial moments in African American history.
March 14, 2020
Omg this was just a random library find - Fantastic and beautiful illustrations and I couldn’t help crying by the end, while reading it to my kids. Great message about bravery and love.
April 23, 2024
Have you ever wanted to go back in time and go on an adventure back to history? In a fantasy book called Big papa and the time machine by Daniel Bernstorm it is about an adventure story about a young boy named Newt and his grandfather who he called Big papa. Throughout the book Big Papa and Newt use their strong power of imagination where they have an adventure full of traveling through time, visiting historical events and exploiting far-off futures. Through this valuable and heartwarming journey with Big papa, Newt learns many lessons on the importance of family, resilience, and the intriguing storytelling. The major themes of the book were a collective combination of family, imagination, resilience, and learning. These themes were exemplified by the heartwarming imagery and texts that elicited for the reader an heartfelt reading experience. Other themes that were shown in the book are generational bonding in the book Newt and Big papa are sharing a core memory of a bonding moment where they are spending the summer together going through adventures and journeys. The main genre in the book is a fiction fantasy book as it is targeted towards young children. Childrens reading this book can learn the importance of spending quality time with their family. In the book Newt spends his summer with his grandpa Big Papa and they share adventures and journeys and can create a heartwarming moment for the reader to help build their bond and relationship with their family. Another concept children can learn is the power of imagination. The book creates a space for children to inspire to bring out and embrace their own creativity and imagination. This book is a WOW book for me because it is so heartwarming and a great reminder of how important is it to spend time with family, building relationships and bonds with your family. It is also a WOW book for me because I wanted to read this to my cousin because she always uses her imagination and I think she would love this book.
Some of the literary devices the author uses in this book is imagery and dialogue. Throughout the book, the author uses his literary devices specially imagery to create a sense of experience for the ready. In the book the author describes the time traveling as an adventure which was so detailed that the reader can already create vivid imagery in their head and can create an idea of the wonder of adventures. Another literary device the author uses throughout the book is dialogue. Throughout the book there is a conversation going along while on their adventure between Big papa and Newt. This dialogue helps the reader understand the storyline and can develop relationships with the character and also overall understand the bigger theme and main message of the story. I would consider this book as an anti-bias book because it does not have any generalized story. It is mainly about a book focused on family, imagination, and strengthening bonds. It does not focus too much or stereotypes any race, group, or religion.
Some of the literary devices the author uses in this book is imagery and dialogue. Throughout the book, the author uses his literary devices specially imagery to create a sense of experience for the ready. In the book the author describes the time traveling as an adventure which was so detailed that the reader can already create vivid imagery in their head and can create an idea of the wonder of adventures. Another literary device the author uses throughout the book is dialogue. Throughout the book there is a conversation going along while on their adventure between Big papa and Newt. This dialogue helps the reader understand the storyline and can develop relationships with the character and also overall understand the bigger theme and main message of the story. I would consider this book as an anti-bias book because it does not have any generalized story. It is mainly about a book focused on family, imagination, and strengthening bonds. It does not focus too much or stereotypes any race, group, or religion.
May 1, 2025
Imagine if you could go back in time and explore as much as you wanted to. Big Papa and the Time Machine by Daniel Bernstrom. This story follows a young boy and his grandfather as they go off and use a time machine to explore Big Papa’s past. The fearful young boy witnesses Big Papa’s hard challenges throughout life as they go through the era of segregation and civil rights struggles. The young boy learns the importance of standing up for others, resilience, and pride in one’s identity and backstory. Two major themes throughout this book are resilience and the importance of understanding history. Resilience is shown throughout Big Papa’s actions and the young boy learning despite being afraid. It is important to stand up for what you believe in and keep going with it. The importance of understanding history is showcased by the young boy learning all that Big Papa had to go through. Once people gain understanding of history, they have a much more well-rounded view of the world. The main genre of this book is fantasy. Children reading this book can learn that history does not always include happy moments. Unfortunately, history is really upsetting and unfair at times. However, it is so important to delve into it so that everyone can be aware. This is a WOW book for me because I was immediately drawn in by the time machine, but stayed once I realized it also talked about real, serious history and events.
Two literary elements used in this book are a reflective tone and vivid imagery. The reflective tone is used throughout the entire book to show a sense of respect for the history, while also having it at the forefront of the book. The vivid imagery used created in depth historical scenes that would further Big Papa’s stories while having the serious emotions radiate from these pictures.
This book is anti-bias because it promotes cultural pride and awareness while also challenging racism and the harmful ideas of the past.
Two literary elements used in this book are a reflective tone and vivid imagery. The reflective tone is used throughout the entire book to show a sense of respect for the history, while also having it at the forefront of the book. The vivid imagery used created in depth historical scenes that would further Big Papa’s stories while having the serious emotions radiate from these pictures.
This book is anti-bias because it promotes cultural pride and awareness while also challenging racism and the harmful ideas of the past.
February 11, 2023
A little boy is afraid to go to school (for multiple reasons). His grandfather, Big Papa, shows him that its okay to be afraid and that he himself has been afraid many times in his life. To demonstrate, Big Papa takes the child on a time-traveling journey to show him Big Papa's own life experiences of racism and civil rights.
A beautiful cross-generational story and an #OwnVoices take on a very relevant subject; truly this should be an awards book for Coretta Scott King if it isn't already. Between the illustrations and plot, it serves as a way of looking back so there can be a brighter future, and that it is okay to be scared.
A beautiful cross-generational story and an #OwnVoices take on a very relevant subject; truly this should be an awards book for Coretta Scott King if it isn't already. Between the illustrations and plot, it serves as a way of looking back so there can be a brighter future, and that it is okay to be scared.
January 15, 2020
A charming, whimsical intergenerational story about a grandfather and grandson who travel through time in a 1952 Ford.
November 17, 2023
Big Papa and the Time Machine, written by Daniel Bernstorm, tells the story of a little boy who doesn't want to go to school because he is scared. This little boy's father, big papa, takes him to his time-machine to show him times in his past when he was scared of doing something. One of the major themes in this book is bravery, and facing your fears. Papa uses his past as an example of how facing your fears is necessary in life, and how being brave has got him to where he is today. The genre of this book is Fantasy and Science Fiction because a time machine can't exist in real life, and it's impossible to travel back in time. After reading this book I learned about the importance of an adult sharing their learned experiences with their child. By sharing their experiences, especially things they've learned the hard way, adults can help their children avoid making those same mistakes. In my own life, I get a lot of advice from my mom regarding her past and how I should do things differently. This book is a WOW book for me because it utilizes fantasy to bring up the past in a way that teaches the main character, as well as the reader, a valuable lesson about facing their fears.
One of the writing craft techniques the author used in writing this book was dialogue. This entire book is full of dialogue, and it really helps show the relationship dynamic between the son and father, as well as tell the story of the father's past. A literary device the author used was repetition, specifically of the question, 'were you scared'. The repetition of this question helps drive home the theme that even though Big Papa was scared, he faced his fears, and so should everyone else. I would consider this book anti-bias because it brings awareness to African American history in an unbiased manner and teaches the reader a valuable lesson using this information. This story fosters a positive attitude and represents main characters who are African American.
One of the writing craft techniques the author used in writing this book was dialogue. This entire book is full of dialogue, and it really helps show the relationship dynamic between the son and father, as well as tell the story of the father's past. A literary device the author used was repetition, specifically of the question, 'were you scared'. The repetition of this question helps drive home the theme that even though Big Papa was scared, he faced his fears, and so should everyone else. I would consider this book anti-bias because it brings awareness to African American history in an unbiased manner and teaches the reader a valuable lesson using this information. This story fosters a positive attitude and represents main characters who are African American.
February 5, 2020
A young boy expresses his fears about going to school. His grandfather takes him on a journey into his past to show him times when he was afraid too. He reveals his story and shares their history.
Soft colored illustrations represent the time travel and view through the grandfather's memories.
Touching author note at the end.
Soft colored illustrations represent the time travel and view through the grandfather's memories.
Touching author note at the end.
April 6, 2020
When a child doesn’t want to go to school because he’s scared and nervous, he talks with his grandfather. His grandfather understands exactly how his grandchild is feeling and takes him on a ride in his car which is also a time machine. It takes them both to see when he left his mother back in 1952 and had to be brave himself. They stop in 1955 to see him working up high on buildings, needing to get beyond being so scared. In 1957, Big Papa had to get over his fears to ask a lovely girl to dance, a girl who would eventually marry him. They then head to 1986 when the child was left with Big Papa. He wasn’t sure if he could take care of a baby all on his own. All about bravery in spite of being scared and nervous, this book shows that it is those moments that define a life.
Bernstrom takes readers on a real ride through history through the eyes of this African-American family. Generations appear and their clear love for one another is evident. Even with a baby being left behind for a grandparent to raise is shown as a chance to save a life and find a new way forward. Children in smaller non-nuclear families will recognize the connection between a sole adult and their child in these pages. It’s particularly lovely to see an African-American man in this role.
Evans makes the pages shine with light as he uses bright yellows and mystical swirls and stars to show the passing of time. Every page is saturated in color, glowing with the connection of the two characters. The child is never declared to be a specific gender in either the text or illustrations, making the book all the more inclusive.
A bright and vibrant look at why to be brave. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Bernstrom takes readers on a real ride through history through the eyes of this African-American family. Generations appear and their clear love for one another is evident. Even with a baby being left behind for a grandparent to raise is shown as a chance to save a life and find a new way forward. Children in smaller non-nuclear families will recognize the connection between a sole adult and their child in these pages. It’s particularly lovely to see an African-American man in this role.
Evans makes the pages shine with light as he uses bright yellows and mystical swirls and stars to show the passing of time. Every page is saturated in color, glowing with the connection of the two characters. The child is never declared to be a specific gender in either the text or illustrations, making the book all the more inclusive.
A bright and vibrant look at why to be brave. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
November 9, 2020
A wonderful story about legacy and the love, sacrifice, courage that grandparents, parents, and found families provide for us. Although I like Shane Evans very much I don't think this illustration is appealing to me. I love the grandfather and boy in their dominant hues of orange and reds and browns, but i don't like the depiction of the the scenes from the past.
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February 4, 2020When a young boy is scared to start a new school, his grandfather takes him in a time machine to show him times in his own life where he had to be brave. This is a celebration of family history wrapped in a whimsical, colorful package.
February 6, 2020
I wanted to like this more than I did. Great message and the author's note that explains the backstory is very sweet.
November 20, 2025
Old. Oxford definition is “having lived for a long time; no longer young.”. This story brings back memories of a time when I was a young boy who was too afraid to go out into the world of the unknown. Luckily, I had my grandfather who was very supportive of me. The book big papa and the time machine is a wonderful story about a young boy who is afraid of leaving his grandfather to go to school. His grandpa, understanding that the young boy is feeling anxious, tells him a story about his life using a time machine. From when he left his own mother to go explore the world to when he met his nana. I love this story as the work that the grandfather did was really simplified and more friendly for his son to understand. If I recall correctly skyscrapers are tall buildings and back, then the risk of injury was great, but the author made it more appropriate for the intended audience. I really enjoyed the lessons that the story taught. The lessons of learning to be brave and always open to new experiences. As papa said he had to be brave when leaving his mama in order to be able to grow as a person and working with coal deep in the earth to building a building as tall as the heavens, he has tried it all and it worked out for the best because it gave him a son. This book is a Fantasy and science fiction book. Two things' children can learn from this is that time travel may be possible and it's okay to be afraid of change. Time travel as an idea is debatable, but children can understand that it is a concept that is out there and opens a new door of curiosity for them. But most importantly it is okay to fear change, especially when you are young and still have not really left your parents before. This book is in my WOW category because it is simple to understand, and the lesson of change is something that resonates with all of us.
I love the way the author uses very light colors throughout the story. The color that the author chooses is consistent and does not change. I find t interesting that each character has a unique color associated with them. Papa was yellow whenever it came to his story and Nana had a reddish color. The little boy eventually comes out with the same color in the story of papa which to me makes me instantly see that papa sees his son as another part of him. I think it's really cool how colors can be a way someone represents themselves with.
Another author's choice that I really liked is the use of a “time machine” as a metaphor for going back into the past. I believe this is a great choice as it gives a child a great sense that memories are wonderful and very valuable. This makes the book greater by enhancing papa's memories and showing readers how much they meant to him.
I would consider this book an anti-bias because of its representation of the black community without the use of stereotypes. It shows a loving relationship between a grandfather and his grandson.
I love the way the author uses very light colors throughout the story. The color that the author chooses is consistent and does not change. I find t interesting that each character has a unique color associated with them. Papa was yellow whenever it came to his story and Nana had a reddish color. The little boy eventually comes out with the same color in the story of papa which to me makes me instantly see that papa sees his son as another part of him. I think it's really cool how colors can be a way someone represents themselves with.
Another author's choice that I really liked is the use of a “time machine” as a metaphor for going back into the past. I believe this is a great choice as it gives a child a great sense that memories are wonderful and very valuable. This makes the book greater by enhancing papa's memories and showing readers how much they meant to him.
I would consider this book an anti-bias because of its representation of the black community without the use of stereotypes. It shows a loving relationship between a grandfather and his grandson.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2023
This book is about a young boy and his Big Papa traveling back in time. Big papa would take his little boy back in time and show him things, people, and how life was back then. The genre of this book is fantasy fiction. Family and sacrifice were two themes that I noticed in this book. I bring up family because this book discusses how important family is to Big Papa. When they traveled back in time to see his wife, who is now an angel. He remembered how much he still adores and misses her. Another point I'd like to bring up is how he met the young boy. The little boy's mother left him with Big Papa and never returned. As a result, that little boy became part of Big Papa's new family. Another theme I'd like to touch on is sacrifice. I bring up sacrifice because Big Papa would talk about how he wasn't allowed to go to school as a child because he needed to work in the cotton fields to survive in this world. Big Papa reflected on all the sacrifices and hardships he endured while traveling back in time with his time machine.
I learned that family love is important while reading this book. Big Papa adored his family until the day they died. I believe that love for family is especially important when you have a strong bond/relationship with that family member. I also learned about and became aware of the sacrifices that people make in order to survive in this world. This book does a good job of teaching the reader about the sacrifices made by the main character while also teaching the little boy about the sacrifices made by Big Papa. Repetition, descriptive words, and showing character's thoughts and feelings with words and imagery were some writing crafts I noticed the author used in this book. The words that were repeated but also descriptive were "scared" and "brave.” When Big Papa mentioned being "scared" he also mentioned being "brave" because being scared doesn't always have to make you feel weak; it can also make you brave. The author would also use a lot of illustrations in the book to show Big Papa's emotions. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and it was a WOW book for me because it not only taught important lessons to the reader, but the author also did an excellent job of making this book not only entertaining, but also emotional and impactful for the reader.
I learned that family love is important while reading this book. Big Papa adored his family until the day they died. I believe that love for family is especially important when you have a strong bond/relationship with that family member. I also learned about and became aware of the sacrifices that people make in order to survive in this world. This book does a good job of teaching the reader about the sacrifices made by the main character while also teaching the little boy about the sacrifices made by Big Papa. Repetition, descriptive words, and showing character's thoughts and feelings with words and imagery were some writing crafts I noticed the author used in this book. The words that were repeated but also descriptive were "scared" and "brave.” When Big Papa mentioned being "scared" he also mentioned being "brave" because being scared doesn't always have to make you feel weak; it can also make you brave. The author would also use a lot of illustrations in the book to show Big Papa's emotions. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and it was a WOW book for me because it not only taught important lessons to the reader, but the author also did an excellent job of making this book not only entertaining, but also emotional and impactful for the reader.
November 14, 2023
Big Papa and the Time Machine by Daniel Bernstrom, is a story about a young boy not wanting to go to school and about being brave about not knowing what will happen next in the future. In a comforting gesture his Big Papa takes him for a ride in his time travel car. One main theme I recognized in the book was bravery, because in the book the young boy learns how to face his fear by first seeing how his Big Papa faced his fears to the unknown in the past. The narrative encourages readers to find strength in uncertain situations. The main genre of this book was fantasy, with some background themes of family and adventure. Through reading this book, I learned the importance of facing fears of uncertainties with bravery and learned the strong bond between family members. Additionally, I learned another good way to overcome challenges is by asking family or friends how they overcome their fears. If I were to read this book to children, I could teach them about the concept of taking a risk and how facing challenges can lead to personal growth.
This book was a WOW book for me because it taught me a life lesson to be brave in uncertain situations and that no matter how hard it gets to always push through and find the right kinds of people to be by your side along the journey for support and love. I really like how the author puts vivid imagery and metaphorical language to convey the emotional landscape of the characters. I noticed that the author used the time travel car as a metaphor for facing the uncertainties of the future, which I thought was very clever. The narrative structure was definitely the focus on a child's perspective, and is a notable writing craft technique for child readers. The book did use anti-biased perspectives in diversity points of view from Big Papa’s past and avoided stereotypes. I feel that there was a good use of authentic characters in the son and big Papa, one because the son was not biologically their child but they still took him in. Two is the use of an older parent, Big Papa, is a different point of view we do not see often used in books. Overall a very encouraging book.
This book was a WOW book for me because it taught me a life lesson to be brave in uncertain situations and that no matter how hard it gets to always push through and find the right kinds of people to be by your side along the journey for support and love. I really like how the author puts vivid imagery and metaphorical language to convey the emotional landscape of the characters. I noticed that the author used the time travel car as a metaphor for facing the uncertainties of the future, which I thought was very clever. The narrative structure was definitely the focus on a child's perspective, and is a notable writing craft technique for child readers. The book did use anti-biased perspectives in diversity points of view from Big Papa’s past and avoided stereotypes. I feel that there was a good use of authentic characters in the son and big Papa, one because the son was not biologically their child but they still took him in. Two is the use of an older parent, Big Papa, is a different point of view we do not see often used in books. Overall a very encouraging book.
November 29, 2022
This book, Big Papa and the Time Machine, is a wow book for me because it featured a time machine in it. The book started off with grandpa taking his grandson back in time, because he didn’t want to go to school. The first scene we see when they traveled back in time was grandpa leaving home for work. Next when they traveled a little further, they saw grandpa had to work as a roof cleaner for a living; it wasn’t fun for him. However, when they traveled further in time, they got to see grandpa meeting grandma for the first time, and they were dancing. However the most heartbreaking moment of all is when they saw grandpa holding onto a little baby; that little baby turned out to be his grandson, the one currently with him, because his mom left him. His mom never returned. The final scene we see is grandpa working in a field; there was a man who came up to him, asking him what he was doing. Grandpa replied, “Going to school.” The man then yanked cotton out of grandpa's pockets and said, “This is your school.” The story ends when they travel back to their time. The genre of this book is science fiction, and the theme in this book is “Stay in School.” One thing children can take away from this book is to be privilege of how they are currently living right now, compared to how their grandparents and relatives used to live.Adults can take away from this book is to share their hardship to encourage their children's well being future. The author uses flashback and first person point of view, to help the reader understand the message in this book. This book is anti-bias because the main characters are African-American, and it focuses on the hardship and racism African American faces. This book contributes culturally and historically because the author is African American himself, the main characters are African American themselves, and it focuses on the hardship and racism African American faces. I think the author did a great job of depicting this story, and its main message across.
January 12, 2023
In an Author’s Note, Bernstrom tells us that the stories in this book are his grandpa’s stories (he called him Papa). Bernstrom’s grandfather passed away shortly after he began writing it, and he writes:
“Whenever I miss him, it’s as if, when I open this book, I’m sitting beside my papa as we are driving through Chicago, talking to each other once again.”
He begins with a story from 1952 in Little Rock, Arkansas, when Papa left home to move to Chicago and find work. He was “scared to death.” But, as Papa insisted, “sometimes you gotta lose the life you have if you ever gonna find the one you want. That’s called being brave.”
Bernstrom explains that Papa would drive him around and “slip in small stories of ordinary courage,” which one often has to call upon both as a Black man and as a human being generally.
In 1955, Papa had to overcome his fears to work atop skyscrapers. In 1957, he saw Nana at a blues club and had to summon the courage to ask her to dance. He explained to his grandson:
“I tell you, I was scared. But sometimes you gotta jump in an ocean of scared if you ever gonna dance with an angel. That’s called being brave.”
In 1986, Bernstrom’s mother left him with Papa and never came back. He was scared he was too old to bring up a child, but “sometimes you gotta love the unexpected if you ever gonna find love at all.”
Bernstrom asked his Papa, “‘Does being scared ever go away? No,’ Big Papa said.’” He explained he was scared right now, because his grandson was growing up too fast, and he already missed him:
“I hugged Big Papa tighter than tight. ‘But that’s called being brave?’ ‘Yes,’ Big Papa said. ‘That’s called being brave.’”
That’s not me crying! I have something in my eye!
Award-winning illustrator Shane W. Evans works his usual magic with the text, with brightly colored whimsical illustrations.
Evaluation: This book for readers 4 and up is a treat for all ages.
Rating: 4.5/5
“Whenever I miss him, it’s as if, when I open this book, I’m sitting beside my papa as we are driving through Chicago, talking to each other once again.”
He begins with a story from 1952 in Little Rock, Arkansas, when Papa left home to move to Chicago and find work. He was “scared to death.” But, as Papa insisted, “sometimes you gotta lose the life you have if you ever gonna find the one you want. That’s called being brave.”
Bernstrom explains that Papa would drive him around and “slip in small stories of ordinary courage,” which one often has to call upon both as a Black man and as a human being generally.
In 1955, Papa had to overcome his fears to work atop skyscrapers. In 1957, he saw Nana at a blues club and had to summon the courage to ask her to dance. He explained to his grandson:
“I tell you, I was scared. But sometimes you gotta jump in an ocean of scared if you ever gonna dance with an angel. That’s called being brave.”
In 1986, Bernstrom’s mother left him with Papa and never came back. He was scared he was too old to bring up a child, but “sometimes you gotta love the unexpected if you ever gonna find love at all.”
Bernstrom asked his Papa, “‘Does being scared ever go away? No,’ Big Papa said.’” He explained he was scared right now, because his grandson was growing up too fast, and he already missed him:
“I hugged Big Papa tighter than tight. ‘But that’s called being brave?’ ‘Yes,’ Big Papa said. ‘That’s called being brave.’”
That’s not me crying! I have something in my eye!
Award-winning illustrator Shane W. Evans works his usual magic with the text, with brightly colored whimsical illustrations.
Evaluation: This book for readers 4 and up is a treat for all ages.
Rating: 4.5/5
April 29, 2024
I think that this is a heartwarming book that takes readers on a magical journey through time with a grandfather and his grandson. The story uses a time machine to explore important moments and teaches valuable life lessons along the way. The genre is Fantasy and Science Fiction.
The author made me feel like I was right there with the characters. In this book, Big Papa and his grandson go back in time to see different parts of Big Papa's life. It teaches us about courage, facing our fears, and the strength of family love. Each part of their journey made me think about my own family and the stories we share that make us who we are. I felt a mix of excitement and warmth as I read about their adventures. It was like being on a roller coaster of emotions, learning how Big Papa grew up and how those experiences made him the wise and loving grandfather he is today. I believe the story is told in simple language that is easy to understand but full of emotion. Daniel Bernstrom does a great job of making each scene vivid and meaningful without making things too complex for younger readers. The illustrations help bring the past to life, showing us what Big Papa's world looked like when he was young. I also think the book presents its themes in a way that is honest and straightforward. It doesn’t favor one viewpoint over another but instead shows how learning from the past can help us grow. This approach helps the book stay free of bias, focusing on universal lessons of bravery and love.
What made this book a WOW for me was how it uses the idea of a time machine not just for fun, but to teach us about life’s deeper lessons. It’s not every day that you read a book that makes history feel so personal and relevant. Big Papa and the Time Machine is a journey through the heart of what makes us who we are. I really love this book because it created a wonderful tale that connects generations and shows how our past shapes our future. Thank you for reading my review.
The author made me feel like I was right there with the characters. In this book, Big Papa and his grandson go back in time to see different parts of Big Papa's life. It teaches us about courage, facing our fears, and the strength of family love. Each part of their journey made me think about my own family and the stories we share that make us who we are. I felt a mix of excitement and warmth as I read about their adventures. It was like being on a roller coaster of emotions, learning how Big Papa grew up and how those experiences made him the wise and loving grandfather he is today. I believe the story is told in simple language that is easy to understand but full of emotion. Daniel Bernstrom does a great job of making each scene vivid and meaningful without making things too complex for younger readers. The illustrations help bring the past to life, showing us what Big Papa's world looked like when he was young. I also think the book presents its themes in a way that is honest and straightforward. It doesn’t favor one viewpoint over another but instead shows how learning from the past can help us grow. This approach helps the book stay free of bias, focusing on universal lessons of bravery and love.
What made this book a WOW for me was how it uses the idea of a time machine not just for fun, but to teach us about life’s deeper lessons. It’s not every day that you read a book that makes history feel so personal and relevant. Big Papa and the Time Machine is a journey through the heart of what makes us who we are. I really love this book because it created a wonderful tale that connects generations and shows how our past shapes our future. Thank you for reading my review.
December 28, 2020
A story steeped in family history.
When the boy does not want to go to school, Big Papa takes him for a ride back in time to several occasions when he was brave and took a leap of faith to get what he wanted out of life.
Bernstrom's text is just so beautiful. Not a word too many, it is largely the conversation between the boy and the man who adopted him and is raising him as if he were his own child. What wonderful examples of personal bravery at crucial points in time - putting yourself out there is so difficult, but it makes us who we are and builds our character. Big Papa's "words of wisdom" in each case are nuggets we could all live on. Backmatter includes a note from the author, where he talks about his inspiration for the story and many of the details that actually took place. (For more, read this Q&A with Bernstom in Publisher's Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b... )
Shane W. Evans' amazing illustrations were created with "with patience, skill, mixed media, pen, alkyd paint, and digital media tools". Filled with a little whimsy to lighten up what could be very heavy text, this is a perfect pairing. When Big Papa and the boy are in current time, the colors are bright and crisp and the details clear. Once they jump into the car and enter the past, the artwork becomes a bit more pastel in color and fuzzy - just like memory. The love and respect between the two is palpable both in the illustrations and in the text. A note from the illustrator is also found in the backmatter, explaining how he approached this project.
Pull this one out for intergenerational stories, stories about grandparents raising their grandchildren, and familial love.
Highly Recommended for PreS-grade 4.
When the boy does not want to go to school, Big Papa takes him for a ride back in time to several occasions when he was brave and took a leap of faith to get what he wanted out of life.
Bernstrom's text is just so beautiful. Not a word too many, it is largely the conversation between the boy and the man who adopted him and is raising him as if he were his own child. What wonderful examples of personal bravery at crucial points in time - putting yourself out there is so difficult, but it makes us who we are and builds our character. Big Papa's "words of wisdom" in each case are nuggets we could all live on. Backmatter includes a note from the author, where he talks about his inspiration for the story and many of the details that actually took place. (For more, read this Q&A with Bernstom in Publisher's Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b... )
Shane W. Evans' amazing illustrations were created with "with patience, skill, mixed media, pen, alkyd paint, and digital media tools". Filled with a little whimsy to lighten up what could be very heavy text, this is a perfect pairing. When Big Papa and the boy are in current time, the colors are bright and crisp and the details clear. Once they jump into the car and enter the past, the artwork becomes a bit more pastel in color and fuzzy - just like memory. The love and respect between the two is palpable both in the illustrations and in the text. A note from the illustrator is also found in the backmatter, explaining how he approached this project.
Pull this one out for intergenerational stories, stories about grandparents raising their grandchildren, and familial love.
Highly Recommended for PreS-grade 4.
May 4, 2025
Sometimes the best way to face the future is by remembering the past. In this book a grandfather, "Big Papa," uses a time-traveling car to share his life experiences with his grandson. As they go back in time, the grandson learns how Big Papa was brave and strong when things were hard throughout his life. The book shows how our family's past can help us understand ourselves and teach us life lessons. I was really moved by how the story balanced the idea of kids learning difficult parts of their family's history but using it to feel stronger. This made it a story that was insightful but also really touching.
The major themes in the book were bravery and family. Big Papa's stories of faced his fears throughout life, like starting a new job or asking his future wife to dance. The theme of family is big because as Big Papa and his grandson go on this journey together, their bond strengthens, and the grandson ends up understanding his grandfather better. The main genre of this book is science fiction due to the time travel aspect. Through reading this book, I learned about the importance of understanding and honoring one's family history, even if its rocky. It also made me think about how bravery really isn't the absence of fear, but it’s the courage to move forward despite fear. Children reading this book can learn about African American history in a way that's easy to understand and fun. They could also learn about the importance of love in a family. This book was a WOW book for me because of the beautiful illustrations.
Two of the literary devices/writing crafts the author used in writing this book were dialogue and illustrations. The dialogue between Big Papa and his grandson felt natural and engaging which made the historical events seem more personal and relatable. The illustrations helped to create a dreamlike feeling for me as they traveled back in time, it felt like a combination of the feeling of reflecting on a memory and being in a dream, which overall really immersed me into their journey. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it portrays African American history in a honest way, by showing it how it was for Big Papa back in the day and the hardships he faced because he was black, but he ended up pushing through it after all.
The major themes in the book were bravery and family. Big Papa's stories of faced his fears throughout life, like starting a new job or asking his future wife to dance. The theme of family is big because as Big Papa and his grandson go on this journey together, their bond strengthens, and the grandson ends up understanding his grandfather better. The main genre of this book is science fiction due to the time travel aspect. Through reading this book, I learned about the importance of understanding and honoring one's family history, even if its rocky. It also made me think about how bravery really isn't the absence of fear, but it’s the courage to move forward despite fear. Children reading this book can learn about African American history in a way that's easy to understand and fun. They could also learn about the importance of love in a family. This book was a WOW book for me because of the beautiful illustrations.
Two of the literary devices/writing crafts the author used in writing this book were dialogue and illustrations. The dialogue between Big Papa and his grandson felt natural and engaging which made the historical events seem more personal and relatable. The illustrations helped to create a dreamlike feeling for me as they traveled back in time, it felt like a combination of the feeling of reflecting on a memory and being in a dream, which overall really immersed me into their journey. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it portrays African American history in a honest way, by showing it how it was for Big Papa back in the day and the hardships he faced because he was black, but he ended up pushing through it after all.
May 2, 2023
Here is a summary of what happened in the book… A little boy is anxious about going to school, his grandfather, Big Papa, takes him away in his blue time machine car. Big Papa showed his grandson all the times when he felt scared about the hardships he faced. The themes that were covered in the book was bravery, courage, and family love. The message of the book to be afraid when going through hardships but to be brave overcoming them. This book is a adventure fantasy book because obviously there’s no such thing as a time machine car. This book may inspire families to have inter-generational discussions about what it's like to be brave and/or afraid. However, children will need extra assistance in understanding the various events of Big Papa's hardships. It was a WOW book for me because it made me emotional and reminded me when my dad told me what hardships he went through growing up and how brave he was overcoming them. The illustrations were beautiful and easy to follow along with the story. I think the book is better read to children about first graders.
Some of the writing craft techniques that the author used in this book were making sure the illustrations and text flowed along well because children could be confused about big Papa explaining his previous struggles when he was younger. The illustration helped connect what Big Papa was going through. The book is antibias because the author did not stereotype African Americans in the book. There was no examples of men are gang members, oversexed, or underemployed. However, we did learn what Big Papa went through during the early 1940s history, how African Americans weren’t privilege to continue their education.
Some of the writing craft techniques that the author used in this book were making sure the illustrations and text flowed along well because children could be confused about big Papa explaining his previous struggles when he was younger. The illustration helped connect what Big Papa was going through. The book is antibias because the author did not stereotype African Americans in the book. There was no examples of men are gang members, oversexed, or underemployed. However, we did learn what Big Papa went through during the early 1940s history, how African Americans weren’t privilege to continue their education.
August 1, 2023
The child narrating this story gets right to the point, right from the start:
"I won't never forget that September time when I didn't want to go to school
and Big Papa came in his time machine to take us way, way back."
First, Big Papa (Grandpa) takes the narrator to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1952.
We readers find out why, while still a young boy, Grandpa has left home.
The next time machine travel takes Grandpa and the narrator to Chicago, Illinois, in 1955.
At this point in Grandpa's life, he's working outdoors and high up in the sky, evidently part of a skyscraper construction crew.
Two years later, as we readers witness, Grandpa falls in love with the woman who would become his wife, and eventually, the narrator's Grandmother.
Most movingly of all, Grandpa takes the narrator to Chicago, in 1986. I'll leave reading that part of the story to you, Goodreaders. So poignant!
Final stop in the time travel machine for this story... back to Little Rock. We find out why Grandpa was never able to go to school. Oh-oh-oh.
Concerning this part of the story, readers who care about social justice in America may have some lively conversations with their children. Could be a very age-appropriate conversation, laying the groundwork for further exploration-and-acknowledgment of American racism, conversations that can begin in earnest when children are aged ten or older. (In my view.)
Such a Beautifully Written Book
Powerfully written for picture book readers. Beautifully illustrated, too!
Thank you, author Daniel Bernstrom and artist Shane W. Evans.
"I won't never forget that September time when I didn't want to go to school
and Big Papa came in his time machine to take us way, way back."
First, Big Papa (Grandpa) takes the narrator to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1952.
We readers find out why, while still a young boy, Grandpa has left home.
The next time machine travel takes Grandpa and the narrator to Chicago, Illinois, in 1955.
At this point in Grandpa's life, he's working outdoors and high up in the sky, evidently part of a skyscraper construction crew.
Two years later, as we readers witness, Grandpa falls in love with the woman who would become his wife, and eventually, the narrator's Grandmother.
Most movingly of all, Grandpa takes the narrator to Chicago, in 1986. I'll leave reading that part of the story to you, Goodreaders. So poignant!
Final stop in the time travel machine for this story... back to Little Rock. We find out why Grandpa was never able to go to school. Oh-oh-oh.
Concerning this part of the story, readers who care about social justice in America may have some lively conversations with their children. Could be a very age-appropriate conversation, laying the groundwork for further exploration-and-acknowledgment of American racism, conversations that can begin in earnest when children are aged ten or older. (In my view.)
Such a Beautifully Written Book
Powerfully written for picture book readers. Beautifully illustrated, too!
Thank you, author Daniel Bernstrom and artist Shane W. Evans.
November 28, 2023
The story “Big Papa and the Time Machine” was one of my favorite reads so far. One day, a little boy is afraid to go to school and so his grandfather, “Big Papa”, takes him on a journey. They travel through time to different eras in Big Papa’s life where he experiences fear, such as a time in 1952 in Little Rock Arkansas when Big Papa had to leave. There are many different other times that Big Papa shows the little boy and when he shows him this, he repeats the saying, “That’s called being brave”. The major themes in this book were bravery. We see how the grandfather encourages the young boy to be brave by showing him examples of his own life. The main genre of this book is science fiction. Children reading this book could learn about bravery and the importance of being valiant in situations to get through hard times. This was a WOW book for me because I liked the science fiction aspect of it with the time machine and it had an important message for me because I needed to have bravery when I was a child.
Some of the writing craft used in the story have to do with the characterization we see the bravery of the grandfather through all of his hardships and the fear from the child when needing to go to school. The dialogue between the characters was also a part of this stories writing craft within the way we see the grandfather and grandson interact. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because of the unique true-to-life characters of the grandfather and grandson. They represent a real-life example of family members talking about times they had to be brave in order to encourage the little boy to brave himself.
Some of the writing craft used in the story have to do with the characterization we see the bravery of the grandfather through all of his hardships and the fear from the child when needing to go to school. The dialogue between the characters was also a part of this stories writing craft within the way we see the grandfather and grandson interact. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because of the unique true-to-life characters of the grandfather and grandson. They represent a real-life example of family members talking about times they had to be brave in order to encourage the little boy to brave himself.
May 2, 2023
Here is a summary of the book, Big Papa and the Time Machine. It is about a boy that did not want to go to school at all. Although Big Papa takes the boy on the trip through the past using the time machine. Through the journey, Big Papa goes through all the events where he had to be brave. One of the major themes of the book was about being brave. It is about being brave since the boy did not want to go to school in the beginning, although his big papa took him to all the moments where scared but he had to be brave. The main genre of the book was fantasy although mixed with science fiction as well. It was fantasy since no time machine has ever been invented, and it also has form science fiction because there has to be some science behind the time machine. If I were to read this book to children I could teach them about being brave at the scariest times. I also could teach them that it is ok to be scared of anything. This book was a WOW book to me because I could relate to this book when we were in quarantine when COVID was everywhere, I was scared to go out or do anything. Although I had to be brave and I am brave until this day. This book could show kids to be brave when they are scared.
Some of the writing craft techniques that the author showed was the plot as a cause and effect. When big papa was scared, it affected him but he had to be brave. The author portrayed anti-bias perspectives in the book by not calling out any type of people that disrespected him in the past, in school. Although it showed that school treated him wrong in the past.
Some of the writing craft techniques that the author showed was the plot as a cause and effect. When big papa was scared, it affected him but he had to be brave. The author portrayed anti-bias perspectives in the book by not calling out any type of people that disrespected him in the past, in school. Although it showed that school treated him wrong in the past.
May 4, 2023
This book is a heartwarming children's book that celebrates the bond between a grandfather and his grandson. The book tells the story of a young boy who spends a magical afternoon with his grandfather, Big Papa, as he shares stories from his past and takes her back in time with his time machine car. The main genre of this book is fantasy. The main theme of this book is the family connections across generations where we learn about family history and understand our own identity. Through reading this book, I learned the importance of family by cherishing family relationships and the importance of learning about other's identities and the world around us. This book was a WOW book for me because of how impactful the book talks about Big Papa's history when he was younger and the struggles he faced as a child.
This book is a vivid and imaginative children’s book that explores the power of storytelling. Some of the writing craft techniques that the author used in this book were how the story was being told from the point of view of the grandson who is eager to learn about his family history and in a way where we see how a young reader would understand the journey. Also, how the author characterizes Big Papa as an adventurous and wise old man and the grandson as curious and open-minded makes them relatable to young readers who can connect with them. I would consider this book an anti-bias book because the book includes a representation of a black family bond between grandpa and grandson and how we can learn about identities through our meaningful relationships.
This book is a vivid and imaginative children’s book that explores the power of storytelling. Some of the writing craft techniques that the author used in this book were how the story was being told from the point of view of the grandson who is eager to learn about his family history and in a way where we see how a young reader would understand the journey. Also, how the author characterizes Big Papa as an adventurous and wise old man and the grandson as curious and open-minded makes them relatable to young readers who can connect with them. I would consider this book an anti-bias book because the book includes a representation of a black family bond between grandpa and grandson and how we can learn about identities through our meaningful relationships.
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December 8, 2024When you think of the word brave, what comes to your mind? Big Papa and the Time Machine is a book where Big Papa takes his grandchild back to when he was younger and tells his grandchild what it really means to be brave. The major themes in this book were bravery and love, the examples being Big Papa going up to dance with his future wife when he was nervous, and Big Papa taking care of his grandkid when his mother left him permanently. The main genre of this book is science fiction, because it deals with time travel. Through reading this book, children can learn about what bravery really is and how to show love to other people, the examples being the same ones I described for the themes of this book. This book was a WOW book for me because it brings up tough topics that children can learn at an early age and describes it pretty well.
The two literary devices that were used in this book were flashbacks and allegories. Both of these enhanced the story because the flashbacks were used to give context to the readers and the grandkid about Big Papa's life and the said flashbacks are an allegory to how taking certain actions and commitments in life is being brave. This book is an anti-bias book because it contains no false stereotyping.
The two literary devices that were used in this book were flashbacks and allegories. Both of these enhanced the story because the flashbacks were used to give context to the readers and the grandkid about Big Papa's life and the said flashbacks are an allegory to how taking certain actions and commitments in life is being brave. This book is an anti-bias book because it contains no false stereotyping.
November 30, 2024
I will be reviewing the book called Big Papa and the Time Machine. After reading the book is about the boy and grandpa was pretending to be traveling in a time machine but was instead in the grandpa's old car. The main theme of the book is to facing biggest fear. The main genre of the book is contemporary realistic fiction. Throughout reading this book I was able to learn how to get over the biggest fear. Throughout reading this book I was also learn how to encourage yourself to keep trying. The book was a WOW book for me because I was keep turning the page to read more.
The two literary device the author used throughout the book is imagery. The imagery help the readers imagine how the boy and grandpa is feeling throughout the book. Another literary device that was throughout the book is having a theme throughout the book. The book having an theme might be easier for the reader to understand why author created the book.
This book is anti-biased book because it does not contain stereotypes or biases but this book is able to make the reader face their own fears and trying to encouragement for ourselves.
The two literary device the author used throughout the book is imagery. The imagery help the readers imagine how the boy and grandpa is feeling throughout the book. Another literary device that was throughout the book is having a theme throughout the book. The book having an theme might be easier for the reader to understand why author created the book.
This book is anti-biased book because it does not contain stereotypes or biases but this book is able to make the reader face their own fears and trying to encouragement for ourselves.
March 5, 2020
Discover the true meaning of being brave in this tender and whimsical picture book from Daniel Bernstrom (One Day in the Eucalytus, Eucalyptus Tree) and Shane Evans (Chocolate Me!) that follows a grandfather and grandson who travel through time in a beloved 1952 Ford.
A little boy who lives with his grandpa isn’t reprimanded for being afraid to go to school one day. Instead, Big Papa takes him away in his time machine—a 1952 Ford—back to all of the times when he, himself, was scared of something life was handing him.
Full of heartfelt moments and thrilling magical realism, Big Papa and the Time Machine speaks to the African American experience in a touching dialogue between two family members from different generations, and emerges as a voice that shares history and asks questions about one family’s experience in 20th-century black America.
“Wasn’t you scared?”
“Oh, I was scared,” Big Papa said. “Sometimes you gotta walk with giants if you ever gonna know what you made of. That’s called being brave.”
A little boy who lives with his grandpa isn’t reprimanded for being afraid to go to school one day. Instead, Big Papa takes him away in his time machine—a 1952 Ford—back to all of the times when he, himself, was scared of something life was handing him.
Full of heartfelt moments and thrilling magical realism, Big Papa and the Time Machine speaks to the African American experience in a touching dialogue between two family members from different generations, and emerges as a voice that shares history and asks questions about one family’s experience in 20th-century black America.
“Wasn’t you scared?”
“Oh, I was scared,” Big Papa said. “Sometimes you gotta walk with giants if you ever gonna know what you made of. That’s called being brave.”
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