Hubert Invents the Wheel [Hardcover]

Claire Montgomery (Author), Monte Montgomery (Author), Jeff Shelly (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Is Hubert on a roll, or is his invention spinning toward disaster?

Hubert loves to think, and not only does that distinguish him from his father, Gorp, and everyone else in ancient Sumeria, but it leads to the greatest invention of all time—the wheel. It takes a while for his neighbors to see the wheel as a major technological advancement rather than a newfangled coffee-table top, but eventually they do, and life is great.

Well, life is great until the Sumerians’ archenemies, the Assyrians, find out about the wheel and use it to plan their destruction. Now the question is not whether Hubert’s invention is ahead of its time, but whether he should have stuck to designing living room furniture instead of causing civilization’s demise.

Hilarious and profound, Hubert’s adventure brings the ancient world to life.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7–Hubert is an unappreciated 15-year-old inventor in ancient Sumeria. His dad orders him to stop creating things after the boy's well-intentioned efforts end disastrously. When Hubert finally invents the wheel and proves its value by winning a race, things change fast. But this success leads to new complications including traffic jams and war machines. Broad comic scenes are balanced by wordplay and lively dialogue. Juxtapositions between the realities of Hubert's time and today are especially effective. Applying concepts like road rage and play-by-play announcers to the world of 3000 B.C. provides many of the funniest moments. Some references (edifice complex and Corinthian leather, for example) may be lost on younger readers, but there are plenty more that they will find funny. Playful cartoon line drawings (one per chapter) complement the fast-paced narrative. Most of the characters are basically two-dimensional, but this fits the comedic plot just fine, and their qualities, from the superstitious Queen to the greedy owner of a new and certified pre-owned sledge dealership, are distinct and varied. Hubert, meanwhile, is a fun protagonist to follow. By the time he saves the day with yet another invention (irrigation), he's learned about the dangers and powers of technology, and a bit about himself, too. Like William J. Brooke's A Is for AARRGH! (HarperCollins, 1999), this enjoyable novel demonstrates that ancient history can be surprisingly funny.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
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About the Author

Claire Montgomery and Monte Montgomery have seen their work produced on stage, screen, and television. After dark, they can be found playing and singing pop tunes and jazz standards in nightspots throughout Southern California. Hubert Invents the Wheel is their first book.

Jeff Shelly grew up observing the humorous side of life, which has always inspired his art. Jeff lives with his wife and their three dachshunds in the Hollywood Hills.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Walker Childrens (September 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802789900
• ISBN-13: 978-0802789907
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,470,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cool cool book, December 21, 2006

By 

Lorna Williams "hop jump" (SF Bay Area) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hubert Invents the Wheel (Hardcover)

I picked up a copy at my local book store for my 7 year old. I like to hunt out more unusual novels for him. I decided to read it myself before giving to him as I thought it might be "too old" for him.

I loved it and couldn't put it down and I think he will love it too. It's a wonderful funny story about inventing the wheel (and many other items). There's adventure, intrigue, love stories, and great animals too.

I can't wait to share it with him!

I have never reviewed a book on Amazon before but felt that I should tell everyone about this......

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightul kid-humor teaching a dry subject!, November 8, 2009

By 

V. J. Kirk (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hubert Invents the Wheel (Hardcover)

This delightful book uses the type of humor that kids get to teach about the life of a teenager in Mesopotamia thousand of years ago. Think 'his dad is like Fred Flintstone and he is like the cool kid up the street from you'. I looked for more history books written by this duo but none out there yet. I hope they write more!

4.0 out of 5 stars neat, January 16, 2008

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hubert Invents the Wheel (Hardcover)

Hubert is an inventor in Ancient Sumeria. This is his story. He invents the wheel and it's GREAT! Everyone around loves it, until the Assyrians try to use it against the Sumerians in battle!