I'm Out of My Body... Please Leave a Message (Zack Files (Prebound)) [Hardcover]

Dan Greenburg (Author), Jack E. Davis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1997 | Series: Zack Files (Prebound) (Book 6)

When his friend shows him a book on astral travel, Zack and Spencer quickly decide to give it a try, getting out of their bodies and happily floating around, but that turns out to be the easy part since they now have to find a way to end the fun and get back in.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-4?Zack is back! And, weird things are still happening to him. He goes to a new orthodontist, Dr. Jekyll, who insists that he drink rather then swish the "Miracle Mouthwash." As his teeth grow more crooked, Zack begins to think that the mouthwash might be the problem. Sneaking into the orthodontist's back room, he discovers that the dentist is experimenting with this potion on beavers. All ends well with this advice to readers, "I never never drink mouthwash at the dentist's office. I don't think you should, either." In I'm Out of My Body, Zack and a friend experiment with astral travel following the directions in an old book. After several adventures, the boys realize that they forgot to read the directions for returning to their bodies. In a trite ending, Zack's father picks up the book and puts it down open to the needed page. The stylized, pen-and-ink illustrations are numerous but not particularly appealing, with characters' heads and features sometimes out of proportion to the other objects in the picture. However, the simple sentence structure and believable dialogue make for fast reads. Greenburg's sense of humor and zingy one-liners add a humorous touch. Zack and other characters are given life through dialogue and description. Plot development is handled in short, choppy chapters but this is in keeping with the mood and tone of the books. Fans of series books are certain to identify with Zack and enjoy these strange adventures.?Molly S. Kinney, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Zack, a boy with a propensity for supernatural experiences, and his friend Spencer, learn from a '60s-era book how to have an out-of-body experience. But after flying over New York City and visiting various landmarks, the two find they don't know how to get back into their bodies. This entry in The Zack Files series (Great-Grandpa's in the Litter Box, 1996, not reviewed) is modest in its ambitions and in its amusements: The action is light, the mood quirky, and the black-and-white illustrations odd. Greenburg does not talk down to readers, although he pegs the humor on the lowest common denominator: Zack hangs from the Statue of Liberty's nostril and pretends to be ``an astral booger,'' an image that Davis picks up for a full-page, black-and-white illustration. For children making the transition to chapter books, this is readable fare, nothing more. (Fiction. 6-9) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 57 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0780776437
• ISBN-13: 978-0780776432
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,550,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dan Greenburg has known success as a humorist, a novelist, a journalist, a screenwriter, and a playwright. Now he has turned his considerable talent to writing an original new series of books for a younger audience. Inspired by his own son Zack, for whom the hero of his new series, The Zack Files, is named, Greenburg has combined his love of humor, his interest in things paranormal, and his talent for writing to create books that kids like Zack will want to read. With 18 books to his credit, Dan Greenburg's work has been translated into 19 languages and is available in 22 countries. His best-selling titles for adults include How to Be a Jewish Mother, How to Make Yourself Miserable, Scoring, Love Kills, How to Avoid Love and Marriage and Exes. His previous books for children include Young Santa, The Bed Who Ran Away From Home, Jumbo the Boy and Arnold the Elephant. His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, Esquire, Ms., Time, Newsweek, Life, New York magazine, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times Book Review, Vanity Fair, Playboy, and have been reprinted in 33 anthologies of humor and satire in the United States and England. Born and raised in Chicago, Dan Greenburg received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois, and his M.A. from UCLA. He is the father of Zack, a teenage son, who played the title role in the motion picture, LORENZO'S OIL, and served as the inspiration for The Zack Files. Mr. Greenburg lives in Westchester County, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm Out of My Body...Please Leave a Message, November 12, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Zack Files 06: I'm out of My Body...Please Leave a Message (Paperback)

This book, and its other series are one of my favourite books. It can always make me start to roll around the floor with laughter.
I used to read these with a friend.
I even tried to get out of my body with my friend like Zack and his friend do in the book! I have always liked Dan Greenburg's book's which are jam-packed with laughter and chock-a-block with action. I was about to cry when I found out that our school library didn't have all the series! This book is highly recommended for chidren from 5-13. I hope that everyone who reads this book and its other series can enjoy them as much as I have. In other words if i could give it more stars i would give it 1,000,000!!

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE GOOD BOOK, November 26, 1999

By 

Kenny B. (SCARSDALE, NEW YORK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zack Files 06: I'm out of My Body...Please Leave a Message (Paperback)

I like this book because it is cool.It is cool because Zack and Spencer can go out of thier bodies and can stay up all night, but they don't.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The wonderful book, March 21, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Zack Files 06: I'm out of My Body...Please Leave a Message (Paperback)

This book is about that spencer and zack. They spencer had zack sleep over and zack had a book that was called I'm out of my body. They were going to sleep and zack,"said do you want to try
to go out of your body. spencer said," YES" okay let's go so that is why this is a wonderful book.