Publishers Weekly
01/15/2024
White-cued seventh grader Noah Nicholson has a “Plan to Become Wildly Happy and Successful,” a scheme that culminates in him attending Harvard like his physics professor parents and older brother Paul. The next major step in his ploy: become class president. So, when Noah from nine days in the future arrives in present-day Noah’s bedroom—an event aided by his parents’ eventual success with time travel—with a plan he claims will ensure victory, current Noah eagerly accepts the help. But Future Noah’s instructions are mysterious, even ludicrous. Purposefully get detention? Learn to like black tea? Dress like a leprechaun? With each accomplished task, Noah’s notoriety grows; he even spends time with his crush. But his campaign takes a toll on his existing friendships, and he soon wonders if winning the election is worth it—and if Future Noah is telling the whole truth. As Noah’s self-centered actions jeopardize the best parts of his life, he must step back and reevaluate his priorities. In this whip-smart comedy, Borba (Outside Nowhere) examines the cost of ambition and cheating one’s way to victory, and while the plot beats are tonally dissonant at times, they never overshadow the novel’s emotional center. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Janine Kamouh, WME. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"A charming new middle grade speculative fiction... both nostalgic and fresh. Its hopeful exuberance in the face of junior high angst is reminiscent of Judy Blume, its quirky high jinks evoke the works of Louis Sachar."—School Library Journal
A Back to the Future kind of story for middle grade readers that's funny, clever, and full of heart!—Courtney Sheinmel, author of The Kindness Club and My Pet Slime series
A time bending instant classic that will appeal to past, present, and future versions of every reader.—David Soren, director of Captain Underpants: the First Epic Movie and writer/director of Turbo
This ultra-clever adventure is perfectly in sync with both middle-school reality and middle-school fantasy. A charming story of real-life troubles careening down a time-travel bowling lane. Highly recommended!—Trenton Lee Stewart, author of the award-winning and New York Times bestselling The Mysterious Benedict Society series and The Secret Keepers
Adam Borba’s combined his funny, sympathetic tale of middle school pressures – the mysteries of first loves, popularity, and higher math – with a twisty time travel tale that reveals the perils of perfectionism and the value of family and true friends. I’d pull for main character Noah Nicholson in any timeline, any day. But I’d never let him do my laundry.—Sheila Turnage, author of Newbery Honor Book Three Times Lucky
A smart and hilarious time-loop romp—Noah for the win!—Sarah Mlynowski, New York Times bestselling author of the Best Wishes and Whatever After series
"[A] whip-smart comedy."—Publisher's Weekly
School Library Journal
01/01/2024
Gr 3–7—Noah Nicholson has his future all mapped out, and it's a bright one. All he has to do is win the election for eighth grade class president, start acing his pre-algebra course, and become as popular and successful as his older brother Paul. This, he believes, will put him on the path to glory in high school, Harvard acceptance, and a brilliant career in physics, just like both of his college professor parents. He has eight days, plenty of nervous energy, and a time-traveling version of his future self to guide him. How hard can it be? The answer to that question drives the underlying premise of a charming new middle grade speculative fiction that delivers some genuine feel-good moments along with some not-so-subtle lessons about the importance of being oneself, the value of true friends and supportive families, and the serious problems of temporal manipulation. Its hopeful exuberance in the face of junior high angst is reminiscent of Judy Blume, its quirky high jinks evoke the works of Louis Sachar. VERDICT Despite being a bit zany, this novel strikes a tone that is both nostalgic and fresh. Recommended for middle school collections.—Kelly Kingrey-Edwards
Kirkus Reviews
2024-01-19
A middle schooler runs for class president with help from an unusual campaign adviser—his future self.
Readers with overachieving older sibs will feel for Noah Nicholson, who’s obsessed with following in the footsteps of his valedictorian older brother, now a Harvard freshman, although Noah’s at best an average student. Also, despite strenuous campaigning, he hasn’t a prayer of winning the upcoming class president election—until, that is, a shocking meeting with his doppelgänger. Future Noah informs him that, thanks to the time machine their brilliant scientist parents are about to whip up, he’s come back from next week and can guide him to victory—if present-day Noah follows certain instructions to the letter. Though odd, those instructions prove so bizarrely effective in earning him support from the in crowd that he barely notices that he’s failing math and alienating longtime friends. But just before everything collapses in one massively humiliating tangle, Noah (rightly) begins to suspect that his future self is hiding something. The author delivers the ensuing round of confessions, revelations, and frank self-analysis with a heavy hand, but all of this does leave Noah able to embrace his own distinctive mix of qualities and abilities and mend the personal and academic fences he’s heedlessly trampled. López draws expressive faces, allowing characterization to come through clearly in the illustrations. Noah and his family present white; there is ethnic diversity among supporting characters.
A bit heavy on lessons, but readers will have fun getting there. (Science fiction. 10-13)
