Flip [Hardcover]

David Lubar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 4, 2003 | Age Level: 10 and up

If you could become anyone in the world...who would you be?

For Ryan and Taylor McKenzie the answer is simple: anyone but me!

Eighth-graders Taylor and Ryan are twins. But that's where the similarities end.

Ryan never met a test he couldn't fail. Give him a foot, he'll take an inch. Given half a chance, there isn't anything he won't screw up. According to his teachers and parents, Ryan is the Big Disappointment.

Taylor, on the other hand, always turns in her homework on time. She's the perfect student. Her idea of fun is reading entries from the encyclopedia or planning long trips to the museum.

But lately Taylor and Ryan share at least one thing in common: nothing seems to be working out as they planned. It's like the rules have changed, and nobody told them what the new rules are. No matter who you are, everyone wants you to be someone else.

But who?

They may have found an answer: mysterious disks that magically allow them to transform - to "flip" - into legendary figures from the past. Hercules. Cleopatra. Amelia Earhart. Einstein. The possibilities are endless!

Who knew being a hero could be so easy!

But as Ryan and Taylor will discover, it's being yourself that is really hard.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Twins Taylor and Ryan, 13, discover mysterious disks dropped by aliens in the woods. When properly "flipped," each disk temporarily fuses into the palm and projects into the person the abilities and knowledge of a "legend" from the past. Ryan's first try turns him into Babe Ruth, and he wows his classmates with home runs and hot-dog eating. He goes on to become Albert Einstein, Elvis Presley, and Queen Victoria. The results get him into even more trouble than he's used to and makes his already tense relationship with his perfectionist father worse. His sister is a straight-A student and much less eager to take risks; she spends most of her energy trying to keep her brother out of trouble. The narrative jumps nimbly between the siblings and also includes their meek but funny friend Ellis and the school bully, who is headed for an inevitable showdown with Ryan. The disks set up some contrived, but humorous situations and lead those involved to understand themselves more fully. Taylor loosens up, Ryan gets motivated, and Ellis shows a little courage. These three are well-drawn, interesting characters. Supporting figures, such as the twins' father and a fawning baseball coach, are less convincing, which detracts somewhat from the more serious side of the novel. The disk premise is silly, but in a fun way that's easy to understand and go along with, making this a pleasant choice for humorous science-fiction fans.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A multi-level tale, well told. The extremely short chapters and cinematic point-of-view shifts keep the pages flipping quickly. The author makes both main characters equally compelling."--Publishers Weekly

"[A] quick, fun, funny book . . . for just about anyone who can read."--San Diego Union-Tribune

"A funny and imaginative tale. This is an enjoyable read that will appeal to both boys and girls."--KLIATT

"The narrative jumps nimbly between the siblings and also includes their meek but funny friends Ellis and the school bully, who is headed for an inevitable showdown with Ryan. [A] pleasant choice for humorous science fiction fans."--School Library Journal

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (July 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765301490
• ISBN-13: 978-0765301499
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,221,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Lubar is a genuinely funny guy who spent several years programming computer games. He has published several novels for young readers, including Flip, Wizards of the Game and Hidden Talents. Born in New Jersey, David now lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, his daughter, and three cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lubar fans sure to Flip over his new novel, July 19, 2003

By 

M. K. Melloy (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flip (Hardcover)

Anyone who remembers being a kid will recall the joys of discovering a cool book. David Lubar remembers childhood so well that he's made a specialty of writing just that sort of book for kids to discover. In Flip, twins Ryan and Taylor stumble across a cache of alien discs that contain the personalities of legendary humans from throughout history. For Ryan it's a blessed escape from the confusion of ordinary life, but for Taylor it means twice the bother as she tries to keep her brother out of trouble. Lubar shares valuable lessons about the difficulties of youth, and it's not just kids that are his intended audience. Want to discover a really cool book even if you're all grown up? Any of Lubar's books will do the trick, but Flip and Dunk are my favorites.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Book I've ever read, January 24, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Flip (Hardcover)

Flip is a really good book. It is about some kids who find a bunch of discs that were made by aleins. Even though that sounds like Sci-Fi, it isn't. (If it is, it's not like any Sci-Fi book I've ever read.) When they "Flip" the discs, they become someone else. It's a story about courage, and being who you are, even when it's hard. During the story, I got really emotionally attached to the characters. David Lubar did a great job of making the characters and the story seem intensly real. I have never read a better book, and I don't think I ever will.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent book, very entertaining, June 20, 2003

By 

"ellenlymond" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flip (Hardcover)

This is an entertaining young adult novel about twins who discover alien disks that allow them to become historical figures for a short time. Ryan especially loves the disks, and begins to use them almost like drugs to escape from his screw-up life, while his twin sister Taylor tries to keep him out of trouble. The book is fast-paced and, in places, funny; the twins are likable and believable. The most engaging character is Ellis, a friend of the twins.
I have a few minor quibbles with the book, the most important being with the ending. The McKenzies have some family problems, and we don't see these get resolved by the conclusion of the book, yet we are clearly supposed to believe that the final confrontation provides a way out of the family difficulties. But the young people themselves discover some truths about life and their own identities, and do it in an interesting way.