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Liked It “I liked A Time for Andrew. I thought it was fast paced and was a good story. I am usually not a fan of fantasy but I felt that this story had more of a strong story than really focusing on the "time travel" piece. It was cool to see the contrast between the two boys life. That added a history...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “ididnt reall ylike but i didnt really understand it very well” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Aunt Blythe's house gives Andrew the creeps -- full of dark rooms, creaky noises, and the sound of a woman sobbing somewhere in the shadows. Then, in the middle of the night, Andrew awakens to find a boy standing in his room...a boy who is Andrew's double, except he looks as if he's come from the grave. He wants to follow him -- to a place where he will meet the spirits of long-dead ancestors...a place from which Andrew may never return.
Nisareen - So Much To Read So Little Time wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
”“ididnt reall ylike but i didnt really understand it very well”
brooklyn l wrote this review Wednesday, November 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“I liked A Time for Andrew. I thought it was fast paced and was a good story. I am usually not a fan of fantasy but I felt that this story had more of a strong story than really focusing on the "time travel" piece. It was cool to see the contrast between the two boys life. That added a history peice as well. Something we talked about in class was the vocabulary and I was suprised that I read though the book but didnt stop to look at any of those words. While in class we played the matching game and I struggled to guess the defination however in the book I picked up the meaning of the word without hesitation. I try to remember that about myself as a reader when I am teaching kids to read. Finding vocabulary in context is so much more meaningful than just learning the words.
Molly H wrote this review Monday, November 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The literary element that I think works well with this story is plot. The story line is what drives the fantasy genre. I found it to be a quick read. The story starts off fast with Drew meeting Andrew soon after arriving at his aunts. Although this story fell under the category of fantast I didnt feel like there was much focus on the aspect of the "time travel". The story didnt focus on time travel. While both boys were suprised neither of the characters seemed that confused or amazed by it. That wasnt the point of the story. It truly was just a back drop for comparing the two boys lives in the different time periods.
This story falls under the category of time-shift fantasy. The genre questions I would like to use to evaluate this story is: Has the author made the story believable? Well, no. Obviously this would not happen. No story with time travel could be believable but that is what makes it fantasy right? I wrote earlier that I am not an avid reader of fantasy but interestingly my favorite show LOST deals with time travel and two different worlds ranging 30 years back in time. Honestly what I think I like the most about it is how it confuses my mind trying to understand how the writer is able to make it all make sense!
Overall, I would put this story in a Q1. I found the story engaging and was a strong example of plot. ”
“Although A Time for Andrew was classified as a “fantasy” novel for course purposes, I saw it as a story that combined elements of both fantasy and historical fiction, making it a wonderful read. A Time for Andrew is more than a book about “time travel;” it is a book about a journey into the past that changes the life of twelve year-old Drew. After going back in time to the year 1910, Drew faces his fears and discovers inner courage that he never knew he possessed. I really enjoyed this book. It was nothing like I expected it to be! As with so many novels we’ve read for this class, I found this to be surprisingly intriguing and found myself able to read it in one sitting.
Nikki Reale wrote this review Saturday, October 24 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
So many literary elements stood out to me as I read A Time for Andrew that I found it difficult to choose just one to discuss in this review. After changing my mind several times, I’ve finally settled on “conflict” because I found it to be a driving force in this novel. Throughout the story, the characters encounter different types of conflicts and deal with these struggles in different ways. Drew, as the protagonist, faces internal conflict throughout the entire book. He is a teenage boy who struggles with being afraid of the dark and of the unknown. He is coddled by his mother and told to “be a man” by his father; in turn, Drew is afraid of his own shadow and not confident enough to stick up for himself or to make his own decisions. Most of the book is centered around this inner conflict and it is not until the end of the book, when Drew jumps from a trestle to save his cousin’s life. During this scene, the reader is able to see the change in Drew. The old Drew would have never even got up on the trestle, yet alone jumped from it, and it is at this point that Drew’s inner conflict is resolved. Traveling back in time to 1910 caused Drew to face his fears and discover the courage he’d been storing up inside of him during his whole life. He’d never realized he had it in him to be brave until his incorrigible cousin brought it out of him. External conflict is also seen a great deal in this novel. In the beginning of the novel, the reader hears of a bully named Martin who Drew was intimidated by, and of course, there is the constant conflict between Edward and his three cousins. These conflicts are present throughout the story and give the reader insight into the traits of each character. Andrew (the ghost) and his brother Teddy face this conflict with Edward head-on, without regard to the consequences they’ll undoubtedly face when their father finds out. Hannah is strong-willed and outspoken about her dislike for Edward also, even though it was unheard of for a lady in the 1900’s to do so. Hannah’s conflicts deal more with those of society; she goes against the traditions and values of society to be the kind of person she wants to be. A Time for Andrew is filled with different conflicts, which makes for an interesting and suspenseful read.
In her chapter about modern fantasy, Keifer says that “well-written fantasy, like other fiction, has a well-constructed plot, convincing characterization, a worthwhile theme, and an appropriate style (143).” When critiquing fantasy, it is important that the reader is able to recognize the elements of fantasy. In Time for Andrew, the elements of fantasy are time travel and presence of supernatural beings. The plot is original, even though many fantasy novels include time travel and ghosts. A Time for Andrew is unique in that the author brings elements of historical fiction into the fantasy realm, which really adds to the believability and authenticity of the story. This makes for a great fantasy novel, as suggested by Keifer. She feels that “the primary concern is the way the author makes the fantasy believable (143).” Hahn begins the story in the present time and allows the reader to get a glimpse into the ways life for Drew before introducing Andrew, the ghost, or the time travel aspect of the novel. By doing this, Hahn not only sets the stage for Drew’s journey back to 1910, but she also makes the story believable by making it almost sensible that they trade places to save Andrew’s life.
Overall, you can see that I really liked this book. The characters were realistic and the storyline was pretty believable for a fantasy book. I normally HATE reading fantasy, but the way Hahn wove in historical elements made the book more interesting and enjoyable for me. I feel that it has strong literary merit also, which is why I’d put it in Q1. I am going to recommend this book to some of my stronger seventh grade readers; my boys will especially enjoy this story of time travel and history.
”
“Grades: 6 and up
JoAnna G wrote this review Tuesday, October 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Overall Reaction:
From the very first smudge of black ink on the page, I was enveloped in the world of Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn. Now, we all know I am not one for long drawn out, boring descriptions, but Hahn’s use of detail and description were precise, vivid and magical. I loved the portrayal and description of the every character. The way Hahn worked to bring each character to life and show you what it was like to live within each family’s settings. We all have different versions of her characters in our own families so it was easy for me to bring the pages of people to life. When I initially looked at the book, and read the back, I thought this would be some cheesy, hokey ghost story. I was positive I was not going to enjoy this book at all. Boy, was I wrong!
Literary Element: Conflict
There were two major conflicts that stuck out immediately: person vs. person and person vs. self. Numerous times throughout the book person vs. person was evident. Drew had enemies like Martin and Edward. He even went so far as to have a physical altercation with Edward. Drew also had conflict with Andrew. From their reoccurring marble match to wondering if Andrew was going to leave him stuck inside the past forever, they were conflicted about many things. Person vs. self became visible as Drew fell in love with Mama, Papa, Hannah and Theo. He was no longer sure he wanted to come back to the future. There was a brief internal struggle with whether to remain as Andrew or come back to his real life as Drew. Both had good and bad points so he wasn’t sure which to choose. Both conflicts were handled beautifully by Hahn. Everyone has enemies of some sort. It was easily believable to read about Drew and his escapades with Edward and Martin. Drew’s internal conflict was also written extremely well. After spending so much time with Andrew’s family, it was easy to see how he could grow to love them and contemplate what would happen if he stayed.
Genre Evaluation:
What are the fantasy elements of the story?
There are many fantasy elements within this story:
1. the plot of death vs. life
2. the story requires the reader to use their imagination
3. a time-shift/ time-travel fantasy element where Drew slips in and out of past and present worlds
4. the ghosts/spirits/apparitions
How has the author made the story believable?
Hahn began the story by firmly grounding us in reality. She made us see the realistic world of Drew in current times and only then did she begin the fantasy elements of the story. She also developed the setting vividly and intricately. The house and grounds were depicted and detailed at the beginning of the story so that when Drew traveled back to Andrew’s time, it was easy to see the connection between the two houses and areas. Hahn also put Drew in disbelief about what was happening. When Andrew first came down from the attic Drew pulls the covers over his head and pretends that everything will go away. Drew mirrored the disbelief that all humans would have in a situation such as that. Once Drew was in Andrew’s world the text and conversations took place in the proper language for that time period. By using the correct wordage, Hahn makes the time period more believable. She also made sure that nothing happened just for happenings sake. In other words, she didn’t give Drew a magical power when he was on the trestle and Edward was drowning. She could’ve conjured up some weird magical power for Drew and have him pull Edward from the water with just a wave of his hand, but she didn’t. She made him jump in the water and save Edward the way any human would save a drowning person. Overall, Hahn used every angle possible to keep this ‘ghost story” as realistic as possible.
Final Thought:
Combining my love of the book with the unique, educational vocabulary used by Hahn, I place this book in Q-1.
”
“Josh Gosselin
Josh G wrote this review Tuesday, October 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Children’s Literature
Dr. Darigan
Review
Review of A Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn
A Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Han
Josh Gosselin Recommendation (Grades 5-7)
First Paragraph (Overall Reaction)
I don’t know if it is me but this is the third book in this class that I did not particularly enjoy. It started out fairly decently, a young boy is left on his own in his weird aunts spooky house for a summer. He begins to see a ghost in the attic no one has gone up into for years. He confronts a ghost who looks and sounds exactly like him and then BOOM he switches times with his ghostly counterpart. Here is where it gets boring, the ghost is from the early 20th century (1910). The main character (Drew) at first struggles with his new identity as Andrew (his ghostly counterpart), trying to adapt his later 20th century brain/culture to the early 20th century. What makes this part boring is this poor kid moped around for most of the story! And when he wasn’t moping, he was playing marbles with his ghostly self to see if he could come back to his own time. MARBLES! Come on, leaving your entire life up to a game where you launch balls of glass at other balls of glass? Sheesh, next you’ll tell me that war strategy is left to mumbly peg or tiddly winks. This was the part of the novel that I could not identify with and left me scratching my head throughout. I was also irritated with the whininess of Drew, he seemed like such a baby and his actions and whining throughout the story really prevented me from liking him as a character. Overall, I tried my hardest to like this book but I could not, it began with an interesting plot, but the characters and the sudden change in the plot from how to live in the early 20th century to playing marbles to get my life back really threw me and left me with a sour taste in my mouth regarding this book.
Second Paragraph Literary Element
The literary element I chose for this book is plot. The plot of this story was one that was somewhat original/interesting (despite the sinking feeling that I have read, seen or heard a story similar to it in the past). The plot is one that combines elements of a ghost story and fantasy. The story involves a young boy (who is afraid of almost everything) and how he confronts and switches places with his ghostly counterpart. When he switches places, the young boy must learn to adapt to his new surroundings and time. He learns to live with his new “family and friends” and slowly begins to take on the role of his ghostly counterpart. This ultimately begins to upset him because he fears that he is losing part of himself. He confronts his ghostly counterpart and challenges him to a game of marbles to win back his place in time. Throughout the story, the main character learns to overcome his fears and become a better person as a result. I felt this story was somewhat original and interesting. However, the plot was not interesting enough to grab and hold my interest. The story became tiresome and ridiculous for me when the story shifted towards the challenge of marbles.
Third Paragraph (Guidelines)
*What are the fantasy elements of the story?
The fantasy elements of the story are easy to identify. The elements are the ghostly counterpart of Drew (Andrew), the transportation of Drew into Andrews time and Andrew to Drew’s time, the conversations, playing and interaction between the two main characters (Andrew and Drew). These are the fantasy elements of the story.
*Is the plot original and ingenious?
Although the plot is an interesting one, I feel that I have seen, read or heard this plot before. Whether it was through a movie or television show or a story similar to it, I feel that this plot (switching time periods with a ghostly counter part) has been done before. However, the twist that the author takes on it (the adoption of one another’s life and the forgetting of their own lives). This twist on the plot made the story somewhat interesting, however, as stated previously, not interesting enough to hold my attention.
Fourth Paragraph (Statement on Quadrants)
I would have to put this book into quadrant 4. I feel that this book did not have any literary merit (no awards as far as I know) and there is no reader response with me (I could not identify with the plot/characters). I think this book would be difficult for a student (at least a student in my school-Philadelphia School District) to read and enjoy because of not being able to identify with the character and the sudden change in plot (adapting to 1910 to marbles).
”
“Overall Reaction:
Liz M wrote this review Tuesday, October 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Starting with the cover illustration and the title, I was not too enthused about reading this book. When I think of ghost stories I like to picture the Scary Stories series, where the pictures give way to just how spooky and gross the ghost story was going to be. After I read the story the marble on the front cover made a little more sense. All in all this was a pretty quick read. In the beginning Mary Hahn’s description of the setting was very mysterious, an old house in the middle of nowhere, a bad storm looming, and a little boy alone with just his great aunt. Into the second and third chapter we get to the meat of the plot and the story became a really quick read filled with a lot of suspense. I kept wondering what was going to happen with Drew and if Andrew was a good person or more of an evil entity just trying to play games and torture Drew. As an adult there wasn’t any doubt in my mind that eventually the two characters would switch places and resume their rightful lives, but I can see how as a younger reader might relate to Drew and wonder what his or her own life might be like if they got stuck back in time. I also really enjoyed the characterization while reading this book. It was able to give me insight as to what life might have been like back in the day, riding in the first Model T, or what it might have been like to wear dresses, to be under constant scrutiny as to how feminine I was acting, or to be truly courted.
Literary Element: Point of View
Being a fourth grade teacher, most of the books that I come across are written in first person point of view. The narrator is usually the person who is most central tot the story and through this point of view the reader is able to hear thoughts from narrator, read dialogue between characters and see action as it occurs in the narrators life. What we can’t see are the thoughts and actions of other characters when they are not around the narrator. Over all in this book, A Time for Andrew I think the point of view worked really well and suited the purpose of this book. The point of view stayed the same through out the entire book, it was narrated by Drew. Even though Drew and Andrew switched places the narration did not. Because it was a story on time travel we were able to get to know characters from past and present in a way that made sense. But because of this point of view there were some parts of the story that as the reader I wasn’t able to witness. I would have liked to know more about Aunt Blythe’s reaction when “Drew” came down with diphtheria as well as his parents’ reaction. We get to see a little of this reaction when at the end of the story Drew and his Aunt are talking. As a reader I would have also loved to know what was going on in Grandpa Edwards mind, what he was thinking when the boys were down by the trestle and he almost drowned, what he was thinking having Drew/Andrew in the house and if he realized the switch. I can’t honestly say that there would have been a better point of view to write this story, and the fact that its not written in the omniscient perspective allows the reader to infer and use more of their own judgment.
Genre: Fantasy
• Is the plot original and ingenious?
I found this plot to be original; I haven’t read another book remotely like it. I really liked how even though this book was fantasy that it incorporated a lot of elements of historical fiction, and for me that actually made me forget that this was more of a fantasy then a historical piece. All of these ideas were very new to me. I knew a little about marbles but had never played the game itself, and for one to create a story where so much of the plot revolves around this game of marbles is ingenious.
• Has the author made this story believable?
I think Hahn did a great job of making this story believable. The ghost wasn’t this creepy, evil entity out to cause harm, it was a kid who had died before his time and wanted a second chance at life. It is easy for someone to relate to. The characters were all very believable; Hahn did a great job of developing the characters over the course of the story. The problems they were facing were all very real: understanding your role as a woman, being the youngest child in the family, dealing with bullies etc. The dialogue was extremely convincing for the time period and made it seem as though Drew really did travel backwards in time. In one part Andrew says” Come on Drew, no more dawdling, let’s play!” In another spot, “Tarnation,” An drew said scornfully, "Don’t be such a pantywaist.” During some parts of the story it also seemed believable because Hahn did a great job of comparing the two time periods. When Drew is about to get a whipping, Theo is use to it; he knows what is coming. Drew is actually surprised and responds by saying “My dad never hits me. Never! …Fathers who beat their kids go to jail for child abuse.” I also liked how Hahn did a good job of reminding the reader that these two boys were in a place where time seemed to overlap, that it was something about the house or the marbles that allowed these two boys to switch places. At a couple different points in the story both boys would be in the same place and they would be able to vaguely see or feel what was happening in the other time period. Lastly, it seemed believable because the author took into account that if someone was really able to go back in time, he or she would alter the future. That being said, when all was said and done, pictures were altered and tombstones were missing.
I would place this book in Q1, even though it’s not a book that I would typically read, and probably not one that I would look at again, over all I thought it was well written and an enjoyable read which held my attention and allowed me to relate well to the characters.
”
“The intriguing and suspenseful plot of Time for Andrew propelled me through this book. The mysterious nature of the exposition--complete with a severe thunderstorm and a creepy old house--sets the mood from the beginning. Then just as Drew spots a shadowy figure in an upper window, his parents leave him with his great aunt while they travel abroad. This initiating action hooks the reader, who desperately wants to know what the figure in the window is and why the grumpy, wheelchair-ridden man dislikes Drew so much. After Drew and Andrew switch places the plot development focuses primarily on Drew's experiences during Andrew's time period as well as the question that becomes the central focus of the book: Will Drew ever beat Andrew at marbles and thus be permitted to return to his time? Drew's missteps and adventures in his new early-20th century setting keep the reader engaged in the story until its compelling conclusion, when Drew finally wins at marbles. The satisfying resolution, in which Drew has an opportunity to visit with his old friends Andrew and Hannah, nicely wraps up the story.
Julia Thompson-Calio wrote this review Tuesday, October 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
"The proof of real objects gives an added dimension of truth in books." The fact that both the present and past settings in Time for Andrew are realistic lends authenticity to the book. Drew's actions seem realistic for a modern-day boy, and the historical setting and characters also appear to be genuine. Students can certainly relate to parents who must go away for a time and leave them with a family member in a new or different location. Furthermore, any reader who has been in an old Victorian-style house or museum can relate to Drew's feeling of being surrounded by a lot of history and perhaps even some beings from the past. Other than the ghosts and the time travel element of the book, everything else is realistic which gives the book the "added dimension of truth" which Kiefer refers to in her text.
I would put this book in quadrant one, as I enjoyed reading it and felt that its vocabulary, plot, setting, and character development were all of literary merit.
”
“A Time for Andrew
Alexis W wrote this review Tuesday, October 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
By : Mary Downing Hahn
Overall, I enjoyed this book but I did not love it. I do not think I would recommend this book to others, however if I had to, I would recommend this book for grades 4 – 8. I definitely thought the plot of the story was unique and enticing, however, I lost interest about a third of the way into the book. Although this is an easy read, it is a slow read. I feel that children would have a difficult time relating to the main character, Drew. The book was more of a time-travel fantasy as opposed to a ghost story. I was hoping for more suspense. I did like the idea of time-travel; to me, that was definitely the most interesting aspect of the book.
Literary Element
The literary element I am going to focus on is “plot”. Although I was overall disappointed with the story, I do think the main idea of the book lent itself to a good story and I felt it was a very original plot. I do feel that children would enjoy this book. The story is definitely original and unique. I like how the author incorporated modern fantasy with the idea of time travel. I think the beginning of the book moves quickly because it causes the reader to try and solve the mystery of whom or what Drew was seeing. The reader tries to use context clues to determine if it is real, or just his imagination. The story did unfold in a logical happening of events.
Genre Evaluation
The genre of this book is modern fantasy. Although this was not my favorite book read so far, I did enjoy it somewhat. The plot is certainly original. Though you know the story is false, the author, Mary Downing Hahn, did a decent job in making the story believable, though it could have used a little more suspense. I felt like suspense ended too quickly when Andrew was exposed to Drew. Although the idea is far-fetched, at times throughout the book, you find yourself “spooked”. The story is logical and consistent within the framework established by the author.
Final Thought
I definitely would consider the book to be a Q-4 because of the low literary merit and negative reader response. If I had to recommend this book, I would recommend that this book be used for grades 4 – 8.
”
“Andy Trinkle
Andy T wrote this review Tuesday, October 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
EDR 515
10/20/09
Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story
By: Mary Downing Hahn
Gr. 4-7
Overall Reaction:
I thought Time for Andrew was an excellent book. Andrew and Drew were the same little boy only with completely opposite characteristics. Andrew was the bad, outgoing type, and Drew was the good, shy, scared type. It was very interesting to see how Drew handled being Andrew and how everyone was so fooled by his sudden change in attitude. It would have been nice to see how Andrew did in the present time since he did have a much harder time not know about anything. At least Drew had read history and was told about his ancestors. I found this story much more suspenseful than scary. I loved how the characters were actually changing into one another and it made me wonder for a little while if they were actually going to stay as the other person. It was great to read how the two boys were able to balance each other out in the end and I loved that Drew got to see Hannah and Andrew at least one more time.
Literary Element: Characterization
I loved all the interaction of the characters in this story. The development of the characters was fantastic. It was so fun yet so scary to see Drew turning into Andrew and vice versa. Drew went from a shy, scared young boy to someone who could do anything and Andrew went from an outgoing, bad boy to someone who was more likeable and not as tough. The two main characters balanced each other out in the end. Hannah was my next favorite character. Her relationship with Drew was unconditional love. It makes me wonder if she and Andrew were like that before he got sick. It was fun seeing Hannah be such a tomboy at time with Drew, but then becoming such a lady when John was around. Mama and Papa were portrayed as a typical couple from what I know about the era. Mama was tough, but Papa took care of the beatings. Sometimes I don’t think the two boys should have gotten some of their whippings. Theo played a wonderful supporting actor. He was the younger brother who looked up to his brother, but when Drew started being a pantywaist, Theo would get mad at him. Of course, all is forgiven in the end when Drew makes Edwards nose bleed. Edward being Drew’s great-grandfather was a total shock for me. For some reason my mind didn’t even process the fact that Edward and great-grandfather could be the same person. I wish Drew would have made some comment about him saving Edwards life at the end of the book. When Andrew and Hannah came to visit at the end of the story, it was great to see how they got older, but they both were still the same people. It was fun that Hannah knew all about Drew and her and Andrew kept making little jokes that only the 3 of them understood.
Genre Evaluation: Fantasy
What are the fantasy elements of the story? I think the main fantasy element would be the existence of ghosts. Andrew comes into the modern day house as a ghost and somehow Drew and Andrew can talk to one another and even switch places. Time travel would be another element. Drew went back to 1910 and Andrew was able to stay in the present. Then every night the 2 boys would be able see each other in the attic and almost be between the two eras.
Is there a universal truth underlying the metaphor of the fantasy? I feel that there is. The story seemed to end for me when Drew found a great balance between being a pantywaist and a tough guy. He got his strength and fearlessness from Andrew. Andrew got his manners from Drew, but in the end the two boys were able to balance each other out. I feel that this story could have been told as Drew getting sick and just being in a sort of coma and dreaming about all the stuff that happened in 1910.
Final Thought:
Time for Andrew would definitely be Q-1 for me. I feel that Mary Downing Hahn did an excellent job of writing this story and made it believable and a real page turner and I absolutely loved it.
”
