Customer Reviews

Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame: The Story of the Boy Who Traveled into the Past by Stepping Through the Picture Frame on His Bedroom Wall (Grades 6-12+)

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4 star:		(1)
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I heard about this book and bought it because I thought my middle schooler would like it. She loves it because it makes learning about history fun and interesting, and, as parents, we are really enjoying it. The book is extremely comprehensive and, at the same time, fun to read with the pictures of Anthony in each piece of history. The categorized list of movies, books and other references in the back is wonderful. I bought this book for my father who enjoys history. This book is a real treasure and keepsake.

"Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame is an innovative book that will stimulate your child's interest in history. Although written for ages 12 and up, this can easily be used as a family read-aloud for younger children.

Your child will be transported back to the time of important historical events using real photographs of "Anthony" superimposed on historical photos of the people he visits including Charles Lindbergh, Lou Gehrig, Thomas Edison, and Dr. Jonas Salk. While on these "visits," Anthony learns about the Apollo Moon Mission, The Great Depression, Immigration, Polio Vaccine, WWII, the Holocaust, and more. Real quotes from real people make the story come so alive that you almost believe Anthony is there!

Included in the book is a list of books, movies, museums, and music related to each topic as well as footnotes that are lessons in themselves. I also like that the author chose to include references to God and Bible scripture rather than make this "politically" correct.

The author, Michael Class, wrote the book to encourage "young people to become productive, honest, thoughtful, moral citizens-and to contribute in a positive way to American society and the world." He has done an excellent job of fulfilling this mission. I highly recommend this book for everyone, even adults."

This book is amazing. We had friends over when we took it out of the shipping box and the book caught everyone's eye. The photographs attract attention and grabbing hands! I've never seen such a reaction to a book, before. My children - and my neighbor's kids - spent the better part of an hour just looking at the pictures. They got drawn into the times and places that the book's main character, Anthony, visited in the past. Even I was fascinated. But when I read the book, there was so much more. I got completely lost in the story and the footnotes. The author makes you feel like you are really there - in the past, say with Charles Lindbergh in his plane - because Anthony narrates the story in the first person. But the footnotes - well, they are like a Trivial Pursuit game based on history. The footnotes are like "links" to other stories and facts and places. For example, when Anthony witnesses the invention of Thomas Edison's motion picture camera and projector, footnotes took me to the first movie shown, the history of the nickelodeon, and the invention of the popcorn popper and its introduction into movie houses. All I can say is "wow." My children love the book, and the neighbors bought copies, too. We are exploring the lists now - the book has lists of recommended books, movies, music, and places keyed to every chapter and subject. Several hundred movies, actually. I can see that this book will be a lot of fun and a topic of conversation at our house for a long time. By the way, the author's Web site - after you read the book - has a history test that you can download. That's fun and educational, too. Why didn't we have a book like this when I was in school?

This book is an amazing resource for US history from the past 125 years. Each chapter is its own story with Anthony visiting real people and taking part in real events from US history. Anthony tells the events from a first person point of view and suddenly boring old history is tranformed into an exciting adventure story and yet - the story is not fiction it is real.

Each chapter has incredible photographs. Many of the photos are familiar or famous photos with Anthony in the picture. Several of the photos were extremely powerful and moving. My kids found some fun "hidden" treasures in a lot of the pictures - but they are still looking for more.

The chapters are filled with direct quotes from the historical individuals and the author has reference notes to the original sources for each quote. When I went back to look at the notes, I found so much more than just footnotes referencing sources. What I found was almost a second book following the adventure story. The hundreds of references explain tidbits of history, context for the quoted material and hidden recommendations for additional resources in order to delve more deeply into a particular topic.

Some recommendatons are hidden in the notes section, but there is a third section to the book called "Anthony Recommends". In this section, there are hundreds of books, movies, music and places recommended for the person interested in a deeper look at any of the topics.

I am using this book as a spine for a homeschool history course targeted for high schoolers. For each chapter, they read the story and discuss the photographs and then they each get to pick some additional resources from the recommended materials to extend the study. With so many book and movie recommendations, each student can extend the topic in a more personal way that keeps his or her interest and appeals to his or her learning style. I printed the final exam from the author's website and the students have used the test as a pre-test to see how little they know now and they will use it at the end of their journey through the book as a post test to see how much they have learned.

This book is a real treasure. The reading level is late middle school through high school and beyond, but younger kids would definitely enjoy the chapters and photos as a read-aloud story.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." ~ William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)

Imagine what it would be like to be a kid who jumps into a picture and lives some of the most exciting moments in history like walking on the moon or arriving in American ready to start a new life. In "Anthony and the Magic Pictures Frame," history comes alive in the mind of a child.

Here we find Anthony in digitally enhanced pictures so it looks like her really was walking on the moon or standing next to Charles Lindbergh and his airplane in 1927. The pictures are great because they show things you might not normally see like the inside of the plane. You might not see this unless you went to the National Air & Space Museum in Washington.

Here we also find Anthony interviewing Thomas Edison and standing with Lou Gehrig on opening day at Yankee Stadium in 1937. Throughout this book there is a sense of humor, but also profound moments and moments for reflection.

Suddenly history becomes far more interesting when it is told from this type of perspective. Even in the stories of harsh realities during the war, there is a sense of kindness as people help one another to survive. This is a book children and adults will love and it puts a smile on your face while you learn a lot about history.

~The Rebecca Review

Anthony And The Magic Picture Frame is an informative exploration for children into the history of America and the world. Anthony And The Magic Picture Frame offers young readers an incredible depiction and encouraging read for many of the great historical markers of America's history as twelve-year-old Anthony travels the world, and even to the moon. Included are the first lunar landing, Charles Lindbergh's first New-York to Paris flight, WWI and WWII, Edison's first electric lamp, and so much more specifically designed and deftly written in a child-friendly and educational format. Anthony And The Magic Picture Frame is very strongly recommended -- especially to all parents wishing for an accurate and expansive education of American history for their children.

Relating modern-era history to children often prove to be be a challenge. Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame, written by Michael S. Class, attempts to fill this void by bringing the child into history, literally.

Anthony is you average twelve year old boy, with one difference, Anthony has a magic picture frame. Anthony's picture frame allows him to step back in time and witness history first-hand. Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame is a narrative journal of Anthony's activities and provides detailed descriptions of what he saw, heard and lived through.

Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame brings history to life for middle-years and older children. Wonderfully illustrated with archival photographs your child can see and read about important events and how these events shape our lives today. The photographs and brilliantly altered to include Anthony, in period garb, right in the middle of the action. Be warned, however, that many of these photographs are graphic. The photographs are real and are well-used but they are made so much more real by the presence of this little boy in each of them, sometimes in the middle of a battlefield. If you have a highly sensitive child you may wish to save this book for when they are of an age to see children in distressing situations.

Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame has a place in the library of all Americans who want to give their children an accurate and detailed education in current-era American history. Best suited for children twelve and older, Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame will provide years worth of lessons or serve as a fantastic stand-alone resource.

Michael S. Class has created an amazing piece of literature that touches on the importance of how history and the present weave together. As he explores particular historical events and how they have impacted the way society functions today, Michael has taken it a step further. His visual interpretation of Anthony is a creative masterpiece. The illustrations capture the imagination of both the young and the old while the text inspires people to think about their own past. Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame is a solid piece of literature and a wonderful piece of art. This book will introduce children to history in a new, lively and exciting manner. Michael is bringing back an education that creates children who are deep thinkers and life-long learners. Don't waste another second. This is a gift for all.
Cherie McIntosh, Deena Cook
P & P Publishing LLC
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This book will inspire interest in the great stories and famous photographs of history. The photos are very creative and tell a lot about the time period just through the expressions of the author's son, who is nearly seamlessly inserted into historical photographs.

Younger children will enjoy just looking at the large photographs (this book is coffee table size) and older children and adults will enjoy the well written text. I have used it with 8 and 12 year old homeschooled boys as a book to read aloud.

The chapters and topics can be read in any order. The subjects cover the Civil War, when the first photographs were taken, to the polio vaccine in the 1950s. Many of the photographs will be familiar to people born in the early to mid 1900s, and so the idea of developing the story and conversations behind the images is especially appealing.

Clearly, the author loves history. He treats his subject with honor and respect and tells the story of individuals using their own words and images. This is not just a cute and clever idea for a time machine; there are serious lessons to be learned and remarkable and heroic achievements to be celebrated.

The book has an excellent resource list including movies, music and places to visit to supplement the journey back through time. An unexpected added bonus!

Highly recommended. Great gift idea.

Very well done and well researched book! I have it in my 6-12 school library, and I'm very glad I do. It is wonderful to be able to provide such an entertaining book, that is also so historically accurate.