I just finished Dan Gutman’s latest middle grade novel, The Homework Machine. What an excellent example of multiple viewpoints, not to mention just an all-around fun read. My kids both read it, too (yes, even the 16-year-old). I expected the concept of the “homework machine” to just be kind of silly and far-fetched (though still fun), but it was actually very believable. We’ve got scanning, we’ve got data searching, we’ve got handwriting recognition — such a machine would be possible…though the part about the machine not turning off bothered me a little. But Ben (the 16-year-old) said that’s a common plot device in science fiction. What am I doing trying to write a science fiction mystery when I don’t even know the common plot devices in science fiction???
(I wonder if Dan Gutman has a blog…?)