The Homework Machine

Not bad. Initially, I didn't like how quickly the story shifted perspectives, I thought that this made it difficult to identify with any particular character. However, after the first couple chapters the story and the depth of its characters unfolded. The coming together of these unlikely friends created an intriguing and fun dynamic alongside the magical (or maybe not so magical in this tech-age) idea of a homework machine. Overall I think it's a good read, despite it's dalliances into the politics of war, and racial stereotypes.

I read this aloud to my older son (who will be in 4th grade in the fall). We both LOVED it. The story is told from the perspective of four 5th grade students (as well as an occasional aside from their teacher, moms, and other adults). I've seen books in which each chapter is told from a different perspective, but in this book, Gutman jumps between perspectives throughout each chapter. Sometimes a character only contributes a sentence or two before another jumps in. The format had the potential to be somewhat distracting, but Gutman pulled it off beautifully. We felt like we got to know each of the kids very well. Each was distinct, and the story of the homework machine could not have been told as effectively without each of their unique show more perspectives. show less

What kid hasn't wondered what life would be like with a homework machine? Well, fifth grade computer genius Brenton hasn’t had to worry about homework all year. When he mentions it to some of the kids in his class, they beg to see it, and he gives in. Judy, Snick, and Kelsey can’t believe how amazing the homework machine is; it even does their homework in their own handwriting. It's just too easy not to use it. So, four unlikely friends begin to hang out in order to get their homework done in record time. When they get together, the work is done so fast that they begin to get to know each other a little better. Interestingly, they realize that they each have more to them than meets the eye. What will happen if word about the show more homework machine gets out? Who is the strange man named Milton that keeps contacting them one by one? What caused all the kids in the fifth grade to wear red socks to school? Will the kids in the group become real friends? Read this book to find out how having more time on your hands might just change your life.

The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman is a book that kids will love and read quickly. Everyone wants their homework done faster, but is it really worth it in the end? It was a treat getting to know the different cast of characters in this book. Each chapter was a month of the school year and consisted of different interviews. I knew something had happened because of the people who were being interviewed and what they were saying, but I didn't know what the big event was until the end. Each character is a kid you know in real life. Some you might like, and some you might not like as much. But they're all real, and you can relate to them all in some way. I think this would be a great book for kids in third grade and up, because they will be dreaming of their own homework machine and will definitely be able to relate to the characters in the story. This is a terrific book for anyone who's ever dreamed of a world in which they have a little more time for what they want to do, and there are surprises around every corner. I can't wait to read The Return of the Homework Machine, because I know how this book ends, so I have no idea how the next book is going to start! show less

The unlikely foursome made up of a geek, a class clown, a teacher's pet, and a slacker - Brenton, Sam "Snick," Judy and Kelsey, respectively, - are bound together by one very big secret: the homework machine. Because the machine, code named Belch, is doing their homework for them, they start spending a lot of time together, attracting a lot of attention. And attention is exactly what you don't want when you are keeping a secret. Before long, members of the D Squad, as they are called at school are getting strange Instant Messages from a shady guy named Milner; their teacher, Miss Rasmussen, is calling private meetings with each of them and giving them pop tests that they are failing; and someone has leaked the possibility of a homework show more machine to the school newspaper. Just when the D Squad thinks things can't get any more out of control, Belch becomes much more powerful than they ever imagined. Soon the kids are in a race against their own creation, and the loser could end up in jail... or worse! show less

A five star comfortable school story for 4th or 5th grade children. Not much real intensity, no poverty, satisfying ending, plenty of heart. I disliked one element the computer taking control of itself.. or something... ridiculous and unnecessary in any case... but mostly I would recommend this to kids who hate homework.. and maybe their parents and teachers, too.

Wait, what? First in a series? Hmm....

In a novel about a boy clever enough to make his computer do his homework for him, Gutman delivers a fresh take on an idea as old as Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine (1958). The nontraditional narrative unfolds through the words of a large cast of characters, from a teacher to the police chief to the students in a fifth-grade class. Each chapter is a series of first-person entries, from a single line to a page in length, focusing primarily on four very different students who are assigned to the same group in school. Although they are not friends at the beginning of the book, they form an alliance of convenience that grows into something more after the temptation of a homework machine draws them together. A vivid subplot involves Sam, show more whose father is sent to war in the Middle East. This fast-paced, entertaining book has something for everyone: convincing characters deftly portrayed through their own words; points of discussion on ethics and student computer use; and every child's dream machine. Booktalkers will find this a natural, particularly for those hard-to-tempt readers whose preferred method of computer disposal involves a catapult and the Grand Canyon. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Fiction. 2006, Simon & Schuster, $15.95. Gr. 4-6. Starred Review show less

I thought this was book was just okay, in that it dragged on for me by the middle and all the way through to the end. But we had some pretty good discussions on this book for my EL410 class. Of course the kids were all wondering about how, exactly, Brenton created such a machine, but there was also lots of discussion about the 4 students' similarities, differences, and growth over the course of the book, and there was even some discussion about chess vs. war! So this was one of those cases where I didn't really enjoy it because I wasn't the target audience, but the target audience did like it, and even clamored to read the sequel.