OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Matthew Jones: The Boy Who Changed Things" by Kelly Lewis.]

“Matthew Jones: The Boy Who Changed Things”, is a fictional story written by Kelly Lewis. It’s the year 2128 when we first meet 12-year-old Matthew, and we find that the earth has been devastated by war. The war has advanced global warming to a point where the earth won’t be able to sustain life of any kind for very much longer. Preparations have been made to evacuate to spaceships, however not everyone will be able to leave at the same time. Tokens are drawn at school to see who will be able to leave first and Matthew has drawn a green token. This means that his family will be among the families to board the first spaceship. Only two people from each family can go with the first evacuation, so Matthew must choose who goes with him, his mother or his brother. The people have been told that there are other space ships coming, and that those who stay behind will move to underground locations where it's cooler, to wait until more spaceships can come. The same thing is happening in many different areas all around the world.

Once aboard the spaceship, Matthew meets another boy, Pete, who is around his age. Together they find out who is actually running the spaceship after they meet an alien while they are exploring their new home. The boys learn that the aliens are on a secret floor of the spaceship because the captain has told them that they should never be seen by the regular passengers since they might frighten them. The aliens are teaching the human crew how to run the spaceship they have built for them. They plan to stay only until the humans are able to function on their own, but the captain has other plans.

When Matthew and Pete discover the evil plans of the captain, they try to help the aliens. They learn that the aliens have the ability to go back in time and change things which leads to many suspenseful adventures, but they have to be very careful because making changes in the past can make things go very wrong in the future. Will Matthew and Pete be able to help the aliens and defeat the evil captain? If they use the alien’s time-changing ability, will they mess up the future and make things worse for everybody?

This story is told from a 12-year-old’s perspective. The world is in chaos, but Matthew seems to have grown up with things this way, so he never seems overwhelmed by his situation: he just does what he has to do. The subject of this story could be very devastating and depressing, but Matthew’s matter-of-fact approach to things doesn’t give that feeling. He meets new friends and makes the best that he can of the situations he finds himself in. He remembers his granny telling him that things will knock you down from time to time, but it helps you come back tougher and wiser.

The story is well-thought-out, and the writing and character development is well done. It has fast-paced action, and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. The ending left me in suspense and ready for the next book on Matthew’s adventures aboard the spaceship and beyond. There were a few typos, but they were very minor and didn’t affect the flow of the story.

I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. This was an interesting depiction of what the future of global warming could be like, from a 12-year-old’s point of view. It’s an exciting adventure story, with events that could be frightening, but that are handled in a way that are both suspenseful and imaginative. I would recommend this book to children around 12 years of age, give or take a few years. This would be a good book for a young person to discuss with an adult since some of the subjects are very thought-provoking: How can a person choose between family members, and where will people go when we can no longer live on earth?

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Matthew Jones: The Boy Who Changed Things
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Thank you, Amheiser, for such a lovely and thorough review. I have had positive reviews from family and friends, but this means so much more. I will continue working on book 2 with, perhaps, a little more confidence.

This sounds like a book I'd like to share with my grandson when he gets a little older. Thanks for the interesting review!

I enjoyed reading your review! The story sounds unique with an interesting main character. I love the artwork on the cover.

I'm really pleased you like the cover, Bookowlie. I work in a school, and had one of the students do it for me. She's only fifteen! The story is something that's been in my head for ages. I'm so thrilled to have received such a great review!

kelly lewis wrote:Thank you, Amheiser, for such a lovely and thorough review. I have had positive reviews from family and friends, but this means so much more. I will continue working on book 2 with, perhaps, a little more confidence.

This is a great book for children because it is about a very real subject that they should be aware of these days. Global warming is something that they should be thinking about and this story handles this subject in a way that can inspire children to think about their future, and maybe give them the confidence to think that even children can influence their future in positive ways.

Its easy to write good things about a book that is well-thought-out and well-written about such an important subject as global warming. Congratulations on writing such a wonderful and inspiring book for children! I'm glad that this review gave you more confidence, and I look forward to reading your next book!

-- 12 Jul 2016, 13:11 --

Ms Martha, I'm glad that you enjoyed this review. I'm sure your grandson will enjoy the story. It has interesting characters and lots of excitement, but it is good to wait until he is old enough to handle the way the book portrays global warming. It might be a little scary, but it handles the subject well, and identifying with the characters, I think, can build confidence. If these children can handle their adventures so confidently, it could be an inspiration for other children.

Sounds like a great book for kids and adult alike! I enjoyed reading your review as well. Great job on the review!

Congratulations to the author for getting a good review!

This story is told from a 12-year-old’s perspective. The world is in chaos, but Matthew seems to have grown up with things this way, so he never seems overwhelmed by his situation: he just does what he has to do. The subject of this story could be very devastating and depressing, but Matthew’s matter-of-fact approach to things doesn’t give that feeling. He meets new friends and makes the best that he can of the situations he finds himself in. He remembers his granny telling him that things will knock you down from time to time, but it helps you come back tougher and wiser.

The story is well-thought-out, and the writing and character development is well done. It has fast-paced action, and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. The ending left me in suspense and ready for the next book on Matthew’s adventures aboard the spaceship and beyond. There were a few typos, but they were very minor and didn’t affect the flow of the story.

I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. This was an interesting depiction of what the future of global warming could be like, from a 12-year-old’s point of view. It’s an exciting adventure story, with events that could be frightening, but that are handled in a way that are both suspenseful and imaginative. I would recommend this book to children around 12 years of age, give or take a few years. This would be a good book for a young person to discuss with an adult since some of the subjects are very thought-provoking: How can a person choose between family members, and where will people go when we can no longer live on earth?

The main character's perspective sounds like it could make this book an interesting read. Thank you for the thorough review!

Sounds like a great futuristic book, but scary The plot is very interesting and, if I may add, timely. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Kelly Lewis on such an obviously well written book.

kimmyschemy06,
Thank you for your positive comments on the review. I agree that this is a very interesting and timely book. I think it is a book that is easy to get involved in, and it's also a good book because the subject of global is something to really think about and talk about.

-- 28 Feb 2017, 10:56 --

jamesabr,
I'm glad that you liked this review. The author can show how the main character and his friends view, and react to, such an intense subject, by writing it from a young person's perspective. The author can present the subject in such a way that it isn't too overwhelming for a younger audience and is more of an inspiring story.

This book sounds amazing! I'm definitely interested I'm reading it. I know that older children would be as well. I'm glad that there is a male protagonist because boys in the world need to read more. That's why there is a call to create books that will encourage more boys to pick up books. The fact that the book is full of adventure makes for an excellent read as well!

I think this book is suitable for anyone who loves reading, not just children.

Story setting is end of war which seems to be morbid story for young children. This is okay for teenagers and adults.

This sounds like a very interesting story. Thank you for your review.

Tackling global warming through the eyes of a 12 year old boy. What an interesting premise! Thanks for a great review.