Lost in Cyberspace

Lost in Cyberspace #1

by Richard Peck

Meet Josh Lewis, a sixth grader at the elite Huckley School. When his best friend Aaron announces that he can time travel with his computer, Josh isn't fazed. But when Aaron actually microprocesses himself into cyberspace, the duo must deal with unexpected visitors from the past -- and find out more about Huckley's history than they ever wanted to know!"Amiable characters, fleet pacing, and witty,in-the-know narration will keep even the non-bookish interested."-- Publishers Weekly

Genres: Science Fiction, Time Travel, Childrens, Middle Grade, School, Juvenile, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Richard Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature. He was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2001 for his novel A Year Down Yonder. For his cumulative contribution to young-adult literature, he received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1990.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's up all night 'til the sun! I'm up all night to get some! She's up all night for good fun! I'm up all night to write Goodreads reviews! (My fiance keeps telling me that Daft Punk's Get Lucky is the Song of the Summer. It's definitely the Song of Right the Heck Now, since I have it playing on endless repeat while I write this review. It is perfectly futuristic and peppy to match this book. Thanks, Daft Punk!)

Okay, now we are Lost in Cyberspace! This children's/young adult (it's right on the border between the two) novel about time travel is GREAT. It's every bit as good as the 2010 Newberry medal winner When You Reach Me, which--spoiler--is also about time travel (you figure that out by the end anyway), but Lost in Cyberspace has less slightly self-conscious "I'd like to win a Newberry now, please" elegance and more "Newberry Schnewberry, I'll write whatever I damn well feel like" awesome.

While sixth grader Josh Lewis's newly single mom is unsuccessfully trying to import a British au pair to look after Josh and his sister Heather, Josh's brilliant but mentally unhinged friend Aaron may have created a time machine out of his laptop. These are basically the two main things going on in the book, and they are both hilarious and intertwine in unexpected ways.

I've read three other books by Richard Peck--two from the supernatural Blossom Culp series and The Teacher's Funeral--and this one was hands down the funniest so far. Reading more about Peck on Wikipedia, I begin to suspect that he is maybe a little something like Josh's obsessive genius friend. Here's how Publisher's Weekly describes Peck's writing process:

He writes each page six times, then places it in a three-ring binder with a DePauw University cover ("a talisman," he calls this memento from his alma mater). When he feels that he has gotten a page just right, he takes out another 20 words. "After a year, I've come to the end. Then I'll take this first chapter, and without rereading it, I'll throw it away and write the chapter that goes at the beginning. Because the first chapter is the last chapter in disguise." He always hands in a completed manuscript, and his editor is his first reader.

Weird--but brilliant.

The characters in the book eat a lot of hot buttered scones. Now it's 10:30 at night and I want scones. I hate it when that happens. I'm not up all night to eat scones, after all.

Recommended for fans of: Bruce Coville, Frozen in Time, The Wednesday Wars, and/or Al Capone Does My Shirts.

[Rebecca Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, I accidentally read the sequel to this book first, and I must say this one was much better. While the computer-ish language has not traveled forward in time very well, the story is nice. Peck uses his typical voice, a middle-school-aged boy, and a typical cast: broken marriage, slightly older sister, a mysterious older figure or two. He is at his best when he talks about the past and how the present could do with a big dose of old fashioned wisdom. I love reading all of Peck's work. I'm working my way towards his final books, and I think I'm seeing just how possible it is to become a better writer as you feel your way towards the books you were always meant to write.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, no awkward time-travel paradoxes, fun (sometimes dubious) science, and a great adventure. I like how it was cleverly tied in with modern people in the story. It's a great book for middle schoolers and will hopefully interest them in science in a meaningful way.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time travel via desktop computers from 1995. Dorky and charming, as the kids program themselves accidentally into the near past and back. Very 1995 in "modern tech," but still fun, kind of a slice of life, of all things.

Recommended for middle grade.

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book with everything going on right now. It has a great message about time and was very interesting throughout!

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book.i would have rated it 4 stars because of the great ending. I did not appreciate the Snapple commercials. I wonder how much the author got paid to put them in.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh and Aaron are students at a prestigious prep school whose buildings are historically connected to wealthy families. The school year starts with Josh's father moving to Chicago in a trial separation and his mother looking for an au pair to supervise Josh and Heather. The first two are complete disasters. Aaron, Josh's friend in the penthouse, in the meantime has been working out a mysterious formula on the computer that he claims will allow him to travel in time. Josh starts to believe him when first Aaron disappears during a "mugging" and then disappears from the computer lab. When he actually starts bringing people back from the past, though, things start getting weird.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh Lewis, a sixth grader who goes to an exclusive boys school, has a best friend, Aaron, who is a computer genius. Aaron is able to figure out how to time travel, but he hasn't perfected quite perfected his formulas, so strange things keep happening. It took a while for the story to get going, but it was light, enjoyable reading with some unexpected twists at the end.

[James Woodall · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's quite a good read, although it takes a while for the plot to truly get going. Personally, I think the writing style is aimed at a younger audience whom the subject matter is a little too complex for.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very fun book to read. Not quite like Richard Pecks newest books, but a lot of fun. The story in intertwined in a clever way. I think my 7th grade son and my 4th grade daughter would enjoy this book.

[Dominic · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay.