Module 13: 2095 (Time Warp Trio)

Amazon. (2016). 2095 (Time warp trio,
vol. 5). Retrieved from https:
//www.amazon.com/2095-Time-
Warp-Trio-Vol/dp/0142400440

Book Summary: The Time Warp Trio -Sam, Joe, and Fred- are on a class field trip to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. When the 1890’s prove too boring, the friends decide to use The Book, a family heirloom, to travel to the future: 2095. There, they are in danger with scolding museum directors, telemarketer-robots, and addle-patted Uncle Joe. Thankful, they are rescued by their great-granddaughters: Joanie, Freddi, and Samantha, who them return to 1995 and their museum worksheets.

APA Reference:

Scieszka, J. (1995). 2095. New York City: Viking.

Impressions: 2095 is a quick read and an engaging one for reluctant readers. This installation is the fifth in the Time Warp Trio series, so there is no background information or scene-setting, but that’s what makes it read-able for kids who would rather not pick up a book. The cliff-hanging chapter endings also help in the desire to not close the pages.

As an adult, I love series books -especially in the fantasy genre- because of the world building aspect. Expositions are often hard to get past, but, with series books like the Time Warp Trio, Harry Potter, and The Lunar Chronicles, after you’ve read the first book’s exposition, readers can usually jump right into the thick of the plot. I had never been able to articulate that aspect of series books until I read Truby’s (2003) “A Fresh Look at Series Books”. As a brand new teacher, fresh out of college, I’m so glad I encouraged my students to read what appealed to them instead of focusing on canon literature. And as a librarian, I promise to remember Truby’s (2003) words: “Readers learn to be better readers not through exercises and multiple-choice questions, but by reading lots of text that they find personally rewarding.”

Series books like Time Warp Trio can help (especially reluctant) readers find stories that are personally rewarding.

Professional Review: Walton, J.Y. (1995, June 1). Books for youth: Books for middle readers. Booklist, 91(19/20), 1772. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/

Books for Youth, Middle Readers: Gr. 3-5. The Time Warp Trio is back--to the future, this time, as Joe, Fred, and Sam travel to the year 2095 , again courtesy of Uncle Joe's magic book. Launching their trip from the 1920s room in the Natural History Museum, the boys arrive in the future's museum, where they see the 1990s showcased in an exhibit of the past. Such ironies of time travel abound as the three encounter their great-grandchildren, who rightly strive to return their ancestors to the past. Scieszka writes with a kid's perspective at all times, blending a warp-speed pace with humor that ranges from brainy riddles to low brow upchuck jokes. Although the plot is a bit thin and meandering, readers will find sufficient distraction in the robots and levitation footwear of the future. Smith targets the audience equally well with black pencil illustrations brimming with zany, adolescent hyperbole.

Library Use: Include 2095 in a Reluctant Readers list (either in print or online): “Why RR’s will read it: short, cliff-hanger chapters, humor, and series’ familiarity. Why RR’s will want to read it: time travel, adventure, friends, and humor.”