Antsy Does Time »

Neal Shusterman is the author of many novels for young adults, including Unwind, which was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers, Everlost, and Downsiders, which was nominated for twelve state reading awards.  He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television shows such as Animorphs and Goosebumps. The father of four children, Neal lives in southern California.

Fueled by friendship and sympathy, Antsy Bonano signs a month of his life over to his “dying” classmate Gunnar Umlaut. Soon everyone at school follows suit, giving new meaning to the idea of “living on borrowed time.” But does Gunnar really have six months to live, or is news of his imminent death greatly exaggerated? When a family member suffers a heart attack after donating two years to Gunnar, Antsy wonders if he has tempted fate by playing God. Fans of “the Schwa” will welcome favorite and new characters in this wholly fresh tale, which is as touchingly poignant as it is darkly comical.

KLIATT

Anthony's nickname of Antsy suits him well: he's impulsive, talkative, and full of ideas and schemes. First encountered in The Schwa Was Here (winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Fiction), here Antsy faces a new challenge: his high school classmate Gunnar Umlaut announces he suffers from Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia and has just six months to live, and Antsy wants to do something for him. He offers to give Gunnar a month of his life, and the touching gesture takes off. Soon all his classmates, and even the principal and teachers, are filling out forms Antsy has created to donate months from their lives, too. Then Antsy, who has started dating Gunnar's stunning sister, realizes that Gunnar isn't actually dying, and that there's something sadly amiss with Gunnar's family. It takes a near-tragedy in Antsy's own family, when his stressed-out restaurant-owner father needs emergency bypass surgery, to bring events to a head. Luckily, Antsy's dumping ice water over the head of a rude but famous patron at the restaurant has unexpected happy consequences. This lively, funny tale about trading time can stand on its own for those who haven't read the earlier book. Antsy is a wonderful narrator, and the story is full of comic asides; characters like cool Skaterdud and always-moaning Aunt Mona, along with cranky millionaire Mr. Crawley and his granddaughter Lexie, add flavor. The insights about friendship and family give this entertaining comic novel some weight, too. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick