Viking It and Liking It

Time Warp Trio #12

by Jon Scieszka, Adam McCauley (Illustrator)

Did you know that our word Thursday comes from the Viking god Thor . . . as in Thor's Day? Neither did the Time Warp Trio. Did you know that if you say "Thursday" over and over again too close to a certain magic Book, you will get sucked back two thousand years to the time of the Vikings? Neither did the Time Warp Trio. Can our trusty heroes, Joe, Sam, and Fred, survive a wild ride with Leif Eriksson, match wits with his evil cousin, and get back home in one piece?

Genres: Childrens, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Adventure, Chapter Books

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Jon Scieszka is an American children's writer, best known for picture books created with the illustrator Lane Smith. He is also a nationally recognized reading advocate, and the founder of Guys Read – a web-based literacy program for boys whose mission is "to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers."

Reviews

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun enough, but wish more of the rules of The Book were known!

Check out my YouTube channel for bookish videos and monthly wrap ups!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having never heard of this series before, I did not really have any expectations. I had a feeling it would be similar to the Magic Tree House Series, which I remember as a kid, actually taught me a decent amount about things I was interested in, but didn't learn about in school. Upon beginning the book, I was immediately disappointed. Mainly for the lack of educational content and I also hated how inappropriate some of the characters names were, especially for the age group this book has been aimed towards. Although the basic plot of going back in time is exciting and cool for students to read about, I dislike the lack of educational content and the poor naming of characters.

[Kenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

dont care

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Viking It & Liking It, the twelth installation in Jon Scieszka’s Time Warp Trio Series, is a hoot and a half! I wish these books had been around when I was chapter book reading age. Once again, Sam, Fred and Joe find themselves in the middle of an unlikely, time-travel adventure, aided by their mysterious, magic book. While playing an NFL video game the trio is transported to a beach in 1001, facing a Viking longship. They are taken in by Leif Erikson, participate in a feast, learn some Viking lingo and prepare for a battle. The story moves quickly and is the perfect mix of pop culture and history, tying together events and elements children can relate to in the present while learning bits of history. The text is also peppered with fun illustrations to enhance the action. The back pages feature more information and activities, like learning your own Viking name and writing in runes. There are lots of books in the series, so you might be able to tie them into history lessons, highly recommend for reluctant readers.

[Emma C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time Warp Trio: Viking It and Liking It is a work of historical fiction intended for children ages 7 and up.

The story starts with the trio stuck in greenland with Leif Erikson and other vikings. One viking, named Grim, steals the book the trio needs to get home, the trio needs to get their book back and stop Grim from discovering the new world. If they don't, history will be rewritten.

I rate Time Warp Trio: Viking It and Liking It 5 stars as it's a fun way to teach children historical accuracy. Multiple times in the book one of main characters, Sam, corrects his friends from believing false history, such as vikings wore helmets with horns, or Christopher Colombus discovered North America. The book has three main characters, Sam, Fred, and Joe. The book has illustrations randomly throughout the book ranging in size. There's no colors within the illustrations, only black and white. This would be a good book for children who like vikings as it teaches about vikings while still being entertaining.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Time Warp Trio (#12) Viking it and Liking it brings the reader on a time-traveling trip with three trash talking friends to meet Leif Eriksson and learn a little about the relationship between Norse gods and some of the days of the week. While the trash-talking friends induced several "teacher eye rolls" from me for example "your team is so dumb it went to the library for a book of matches" (pg8). I did laugh out loud when I read some of the Viking names such as "Bullshik" and "Fulluvit".

This book can be a first step into historical fiction. it can also be used as an alternative view point for the "discovery" of the New World. It can be used while leaning about days of the week or during a mythology lesson as well.

[C.J. Milbrandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe, Fred, and Sam—the time warp trio—find themselves on the cold shore of a distant sea with a viking ship bearing down on them. They must join Leif Eriksson's crew in order to warp back home.

Lots of Viking tidbits: history, lore, lingo, and even a bit of poetry. Scieszka has a wonderful sense of humor, and there are fun illustrations throughout. Entertainment with an educational element. Even a few activities in the back (What's your Viking name? How to write in runes.) Good choice for lower middlegrade readers.

[Ellen]

Now that I've finally read one, I'll be more likely to recommend this time traveling action series to students eager for adventure novels that have fun content but aren't a big time commitment. Wisecracking, trash-talking friends Sam, Fred and Joe make a fun set of protagonists, and the facts about Vikings are sure to interest historically minded young readers. It might be a fun step for fans of I Survived.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was written for boys, but Mimie loved it and I thought it was very funny and a little bit naughty- perfect for fourth-graders.

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this aloud to my kid, and was pretty disappointed in it, frankly. There are a couple of useful Viking historic bits in there, but overall - no engaging characters, pretty mediocre.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good one.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, not much educational value in this series, but still fun. We did learn that a few names of the week come from Viking gods, and my son is writing all kinds of things in Viking runes now…😂

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Sam starts shouting like a crazy person while the boys are playing NFL Smash, they wind up back in the Viking days and meet Lief Eriksson. I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

[Hector Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey boys and girls this book is the kind that will make you want to not make you play or hang out with Vikings because of what I read in the book. My opinion about the book is the best because it made me laugh and made me be surprised because of how the Vikings write. I said that because at the end of the book when you are done there are more like it teaches you things about Vikings like how the write (the abc) and how they got the days names and also there names but be careful of the name you chose. I will also be giving some ***Spoiler Alerts*** so if you don't like it sorry. This book is a adventures and a fiction because they go on a quest to find the land America.


This book setting was in a island where the Vikings live. The main character in this book will be Fred,Sam,Joe,Bullshik (Viking),Lief Erickson (Viking), and his evil brother and also the other Vikings. The kids named Fred,Sam, and Joe landed in an island and saw some Vikings rushing (Bullshik tribe) to them and then they did some magic tricks so they don't kill them. Then they told the Vikings to take them to America where they live, but then this other tribe of Vikings came (Leif Erickson tribe) and attack them so they didn't live so then the other Vikings one and took the kids and tide them up. The they say said they were going to kill them and then Joe told them that he was going to do a magic trick while Fred has a knife and freed them. This book is told in a first person point of view and this is a person vs person because they are fighting the Vikings for there freedom to America.


My favorite part of the book was the ending part of the book because the end made me laugh a little bit. So this is what happened when Joe was done with his trick the Vikings didn't like it that much so then the evil brother said in a honor of his ok trick that are going to chop his head of and honor him and that made me laugh a lot because that was a fail. Then the other Vikings came and helped them escape and go to there land, but instead the evil Vikings let him go which was weird but they stayed a little while before living they caved there names in a rock and then left. The funny part was the names for them you will know what I'm talking about when you read the whole book not just when it end but the rest of the book also.


The part of the book was the part of the book of the end not when I finish reading it but the part where it tells u the thing about the book or author. I like that part because it tells me a lot about the Vikings like how they got the days of the week but it only tell you like four and those areThursday,Tuesday,Wednesday, and Friday. It also tells you your Vikings names which by the way they are funny and cool. It also tells you some letters in Runes but the bad thing is that I can't spell my names so I looked it up and found how to spell my name. The writing of the Vikings are really hard and confusing and also challenging but I liked it still.


I will rate this book a 5 out of 5 because I like how the ending happen and the end end when I got to learn how to write in runes some of the letters and also were does the names of the week come but on four and they come from the gods. I will recommend this book for kids that like Vikings and also kids who like to go on adventures because the kids in a book go on the quest with Vikings to look for America.

[Juan]

Did you ever want to time travel? Well this book is about time travel and Vikings . The genre of this book is Sci - fy.
I personally like this book because it has Vikings , time travel . That's why I like the book .


The setting of the book is mostly in Viking days and a little modern day. This book is about three kids Fred, Sam, and Joe who have a book that makes them time travel to the past or future depending on what they say . The book was givin to Sam by his uncle. The conflict is person vs person because Fred Sam and Joe are fighting the Vikings . Sam ,Fred and Joe are all the same age .


I was surprised when the trick Joe did to the Vikings really worked . My favorite part was when all the Viking were drinking and having a party at night. I wish that the book would have more action and fight and detail. If I were the author the book would have been more fighting and detailed. I understood why they traveled to a Viking age because they said Thursday and in Vikings it is Thor's day.


My opinion of the is that it was a pretty good book but it was a little confusing. When the Viking are having a feast it is kind of useless. Also when Joe , Fred , and Sam are fighting the other people it is really weird. This book is like the Viking article that we read in class. Those are some examples.


My over all thoughts are that the book is good but kind of boring. I rate this book a 6 because it is boring and not as good as I thought it was going to be. I would recommend this book to people who like Vikings. This book is about a book that makes you time travel. That's my review of this book




THE END

[Jefry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It all started with amagic book and the word Thursday. Leif, Fred, and Sam where doing what all kids do.... play video games. Leifs uncle had given him him a magic silver book for his birthday. Leif opened the book and said repeatedly Thursday,Thursday,Thursday. Suddenly this green puff of smoke comes out of the book and with out Knowing they were warped back in time to were the vikings were. They appeard in the middle of the beach. A whole crowd of vikings charged against them."STOP" yelled Leif. The viking roard "arrhhhhhhhhg". They stared at Sams beadspread. The vikings thought of him as a RULER. They seemed to like his bedspred. BUllshik a poet sang "TEn thousand Mad Skrealings Swarmed Leif Giving shout He Swung his Skull-crusher And Knocked them all out". Fullovit a crule ruler sent a viking out to kill Sam Fred and Leif. The viking caught them and tied them up. He was swinging the Axe and practicing before he killed them. Fullovit was wondering what to do with them cut of there heads or cut of on peace by another. Fred had found a Knife under the sand and he was cutting of the rope when he wasn't looking. They made it look like they where tied up. when the viking and Fullovit turned around they tied up the both of them. They also said that they should cut off there heads but they were just kidding around. The vikings took care of him. They found out that by saying Thor's Day instead of Thursday it took them back to there own time.



BY JEFRY VANEGAS

[Mackenzie Sipes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Reaction: I personally don't like books that are sci-fy. I used this book for a literature circle and the enjoyment the children got from the book is why I really enjoyed the book. They found humor in different parts of the story. I think it is a good series that other people would enjoy. I personally just don;t like the genre of the book.

Curriculum: This book would be great for a literature circle for students. It has language than can expand their vocabulary through the use of context clues or looking them up in the dictionary. It has an easy story line for children to follow and they can come up with great discussion questions.

Independent read: I think this book would be good for third graders to read. They can fund humor in this story like I observed when I did a literature circle. The story has simple language enough that it is easy for them to get through with little to no help. There is also more books in the series that they could read after too.

[Katharine Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, Viking is and Liking it, by Jon Scieska is a part of the Tme Warp Trio series. Three boys, Fred, Joe and Sam, have a magical book that takes them forward or backwards into time, and they never know when it happen, all they see is green mist. This time around, they went back in time to "Vinland" which is now known as America, and meet the Vikings. I love these books because they teach kids about history without being too obvious or too much like a text book. They sprinkle the knowledge in, such as how the word Thursday came about. "Thor's day". This book is a great and easy to read novel fr students who are in between reading levels. I loved this series groing up, and lov it even more now as a future teacher. The fun facts, and easy to understand language makes it perfect for a class read aloud or transitional readers.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has been featured on the young adult fiction shelf for a while now and I finally gave in and had to pick it up. The title if nothing else grabbed me and it's a skinny book, so hopefully a quick and interesting read.

Well, it was quick. I read it in less than an hour, I think. However, my time would still have been better served doing almost anything else. I had read a review that said the names were too close to curse words and I have to agree that that was gratuitous. I thought that there was going to be some educational value given the title and idea behind the series, but it's minimal at best. The only educational value can be found in the last 4 pages or so, although even there it's not that deep. Curiosity is satisfied, I won't be getting any more in this series.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

This is one of my favorite series to recommend for 2nd and 3rd grade readers. Scieszka is hilarious, and I love that he weaves true facts about history into the plot of these books. In this story Fred, Joe and Sam go on an expedition with Leif Erickson. The activities at the end of the book were awesome, and the additional information on Norse mythology and runes inspires deeper investigation into Vikings making this book pair extremely well with nonfiction. Hello, Common Core. Fans of Mary Pope Osborn’s Magic Tree House series will enjoy these books. - Alexis S.

[Children's Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does saying Thursday over and over again have to do with the Vikings? Sam, Joe and Fred find out after they are transported to a cold, dark, unfamiliar beach by their time warping book. The boys manage to get themselves in the middle of a feud between Leif Eriksson and his not-so-nice cousin, Grim Snake-in-the-grass. What possible form could The Book take in this time of sagas, scrolls and runes?

[Ubalstecha · Rating 3 out of 5]

By repeating the word Thursday over and over again near the magic book gets the Time Warp Trio sucked into Viking times. There they run afoul of Lief Ericson and are saved only by the fact that Leif things they are sorcerers. The boys have to figure out a way to get back to their own time before the Vikings discover they're not able to manipulate magic and deal with them.

Another solid entry in the Time Warp Trio. Fans will love the zany, madcap adventure.

[Jennifer Rasmussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because these boys were warped into the time of the Vikings and they didn't know what to do. I learned not to give up whenever somebody tries to threaten you. I learned that Vikings fight next to ships or on the beach. Vikings are cool because they know how to do almost everything except dance. I wish I could see the boys big blue book up close because it is magic.
Review by Elena age 7

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Owen here: "It wasn't that interesting, but it was fun to learn about the Vikings. I remembered when the characters were playing NFL Smash because I like football."
Rob here: "This book was a kind of funny that pre-teens might enjoy more than we did. The time traveling theme was interesting enough and, honestly, more happened than I thought would. The book as a whole felt much less substantial than the similar Magic Tree House series."

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Read this as a read-aloud during our review of Viking times. It was entertaining while weaving in facts of Norse myth, and viking history... however there were a few things that seemed a little inappropriate for the target age (viking names), and the football references totally were not interesting to my 8yo girl. This was our first TimeWarp Trio book, and I am not sure if we'll be exploring any others in this series... we may just stick to Magic Tree House - which we really enjoy.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this series as a kid and am enjoying the newer installments as I gradually collect them for my son. While not quite the best of the bunch, there's still a lot to like in this quick, entertaining Viking adventure. I also appreciated the educational activities in the back, especially since the "Figure Out Your Own Viking Name" coincidentally used "Jill Johnsdottir" as an example, which would essentially be mine.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I confess that I didn't read the entire thing but I wanted to record that I don't think I want the kids reading this. The idea is a good one to have kids go back into historical times but the character names are inappropriate (too close to curse words) and they speak too casually and unkind to one another.

[Andrea P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is about boys that where in a room and travel back time with the vikings and football players.But the boys are scared because they think there going to be dead.When the boys saw the ship they where like dancing and scared.A recommended this book to children that like historacal fiction and funny books

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of what Jon Scieszka writes will get a four or five star from me, just due to his weird sense of humor, and the fun of reading what he writes. Although this book would be geared to the 8-12 year old male, female in the same age group would also enjoy it. Actually, certain passages would get a good smile, maybe even a good chuckle, from an adult reader. Certainly did for me.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is a great read for 6-10 year old boys. Suspenseful yet silly adventures of all sorts to grab their attention and challenging vocabulary make them smarter - there's even a little history thrown in. :) I've been reading them aloud with my 1st grader and he laughs out loud at the cheekiness of them.