• Antsy Does Time

  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.

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Awards & Honors

2009 Pensylvania School Library Association Young Adult Top 40 award list
2009 ALA Best Young Adult Book list
2009/2010 Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award List
2009/2010 Texas Lonestar Award List
2008 Junior Library Guild Selection
2010/2011 Oklahoma Sequoyah Award List
2012 Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee

Reviews

…brimming with amusing secondary characters and situations that add depth and interest. Fans won’t be disappointed, and newcomers won’t have any problem jumping right in. — School Library Journal, starred review

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. — Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT, Starred Review

Good news: Antsy Bonano of The Schwa Was Here (Dutton, 2004/VOYA October 2004) is back…… husterman creates a delightful Everyguy in Antsy. He is hilarious, awkward, and frustrated but always genuine. With the loveable cast of characters behind him, including Antsy’s unforgettable family and his friends Ira, Howie, Skaterdud (the e appropriately fell off), and Lexie, this book is wonderfully readable and laugh-out-loud funny. At the same time, it examines some serious questions about life, love, family, and how valuable time with family can be — Mary Ann Darby, VOYA

Though Antsy’s feel-good realizations ought to feel saccharine, they fit perfectly into this tragicomic romp which runs from a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade raccoon-balloon disaster to a chorus of the Swedish national anthem and Abba’s “Dancing Queen” sung—simultaneously—in a sketchy Catskills casino. Silliness balances out the maudlin, keeping Antsy’s story from either bathos or antic excess. — Kirkus, Starred Review