Return of the Homework Machine [Hardcover]

Dan Gutman (Author)

Book Description

Snik, Brenton, Judy, and Kelsey haven’t stayed in the best touch since last year’s big homework-machine scandal. But they are all pulled back together again when Brenton realizes that the most powerful part of the machine that lets you cheat on homework was never really destroyed. And there is someone out there who wants to use it for a lot more than just cheating. So the group bands together again not only to stop the culprit, but also to be the first to find a hidden treasure. If you enjoyed the first adventure, The Homework Machine, hold on to your hats for this one!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–Brenton, Snik, Kelsey, and Judy thought that they had disposed of their homework-completing computer at the end of The Homework Machine (S & S, 2006), but the device apparently isn't quite off-line yet. Brenton remembers that the main power chip was still live when they pitched the machine into the Grand Canyon, and the friends believe that the powerful component has never been recovered. The kids decide to retrieve the chip, but discover that two old adversaries are also interested. Ronnie, the school bully, wants to build a similar contraption, and con-man Richard Milner has a more sinister scheme in mind. When the children's teacher proposes a treasure-hunting expedition into the heart of the canyon, the four are excited, but they find that Ronnie and Milner have the chip and are also after the Egyptian artifacts that are rumored to be hidden in the park. Slightly darker than the first book, Return also has some welcome touches of humor, particularly concerning the online religious cult the kids start as a prank. There is a lot going on here–lost Egyptian hoards, Japanese gangsters, even model rocketry, but it all comes together. The unconventional and challenging narrative consists entirely of excerpts from police interviews (conducted after the treasure-hunting expedition, when one character is killed) that depict the action from multiple viewpoints. Familiarity with the first book is helpful but not essential. An exciting choice.–Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
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From Booklist

From the Homework Machine series, this volume picks up the story with the same four main characters. Now sixth-graders, they discover that the creepy villain from the previous volume is searching for the mysterious computer chip that powered the homework machine. The many characters’ recollections (as recorded by the police) form a narrative that is fast-paced and readable, but never really credible, perhaps because the audience is asked to suspend disbelief about several disparate story elements simultaneously. Still, the many fans of The Homework Machine (2006) will want to give it a try. Grades 4-6. --Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (June 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416954163
• ISBN-13: 978-1416954163
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #652,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

This is hard. I'm a pretty regular Jersey guy who spent fifteen years trying to write newspaper articles, magazine articles, screenplays, books for adults, and just about everything else before I discovered the one thing I'm good at--writing fiction for kids. I aim for kids who DON'T like to read, and hopefully the kids who DO like to read will enjoy my stuff too. For all the gory details about me, check out my web site.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting and Adventurous, November 6, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Return of the Homework Machine (Kindle Edition)

I think this book is better than the first one. I couldn't even stop reading it! The author should have put an epilogue because the ending really makes you want to read more. I read the first one in 4th grade so now being in 5th grade I understood this one clearly. I also think that If you like this book, you will definitely like Dan Gutman's other books too - I read many of his other books. However, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone younger than 10. If you decide to read this book, prepare yourselves for Japanese gangsters, treasure rooms, and gold sword fighting!

5.0 out of 5 stars great imagination, October 1, 2011

By 

ANNE P. SICILIANO (goleta, ca., US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Return of the Homework Machine (Paperback)

This book is just what a school child would often wish they could discover. A machine to do homework would probably appeal to many adults also when they bring work home from the office.

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, May 18, 2010

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Return of the Homework Machine (Hardcover)

Brenton, Snik, Kelsey, Judy, and Mr. Murphy are all telling their story to the police department. The story comes out a bit at a time through dialogue from each person.

It seems that the Homework Machine (Simon & Schuster, 2006) that they had tossed over the rim of the Grand Canyon still had an active power chip, and though the machine parts were mostly recovered, that chip remained missing. The shady character, Richard Milner, that they purchased the power chip from wants it back. Then the chip is recovered by their old nemesis, Ronnie Teotwawki, who is trying to build a new homework machine.

The group gets sidetracked by an old newspaper story about a vast Egyptian treasure that may be in a cave inside the Grand Canyon. When they decide to embark on a hunt to find it, they discover that Ronnie has installed the wonderful power chip in his hand-held GPS unit, and partnered with the shady character, Milner, to find the treasure.

The story is exciting and funny with a multi-layered plot. There are the nuts who belong to an online cult that Brenton Damagatchi started online as a prank. They are standing on their heads and eating Twinkies, worshiping Notnerb (Brenton spelled backward), and calling themselves the Canyonists. There are dead people, and drunk people, and Japanese guys wearing trenchcoats who want to retrieve the power chip that they originally sold to Milner.

RETURN OF THE HOMEWORK MACHINE is very entertaining with great characters, a fast-moving plot, and a conclusion that will leave you with much to think about.

Reviewed by: Grandma Bev