Jay Williams (1) (1914–1978)

First sentence: Danny Dunn bent over a strange device that hung from the ceiling of his bedroom, directly over his desk.

Premise/plot: Danny Dunn loves to learn, experiment, invent. He's driven by curiosity. However Danny Dunn and his friends--new and old--don't like doing homework. In this "vintage" children's book Danny programs the Professor's computer [large, bulky, not user-friendly computer] to do their homework. This requires a LOT of programming, a LOT of extra work. He first has to teach the computer and then has to teach himself and his friends how to use the computer. Danny is under the belief that he is saving time by using a computer. The adults may be getting amusement out of this realizing that extra homework is what it really is.

My thoughts: This book does not age well....for better or worse. On the one hand, I do think vintage books can give you a glimpse into the past, a time capsule if you will. In this book and in the previous Danny Dunn book I've read, it's a glimpse into how THEY in the 1950s thought the future would look like. The first book I read Danny Dunn was about space and space travel. This one was about computers. It can be amusing to see how those living in the past imagined the future playing out. On the other hand, Danny Dunn's life is so out of place--so dated. I have a hard time imagining kids today reading about this super-ancient "advanced" computer that is "oh so miraculous" and "amazing." The story, the dialogue, the characters don't really age well. As an adult I was amused yet not particularly entertained.… (more)

I mostly remember the absurdity of reading this book as a kid in the 1990s and trying to wrap my head around this being a "scientific" depiction of what space travel was going to be like, in *checks notes* 1956. You know, just casually making a gravitational slingshot around Saturn after accidentally launching my weird grandfathery stepdad's spaceship.

Also, Danny has to write "Space travel isn't possible" 500 times for his teacher at the beginning of the book. On what planet is this considered educational??

Super duper pulp, I bet it would be a fun reread.… (more)

First sentence: Space Captain Daniel Dunn stood on the bridge of the Revenge with his eyes on the viewer screens. He could see the fiery trails that were the rocket ships from Jupiter. Adjutant Dan Dunn ran up to report. "Sir," he cried, "They've got us surrounded!"

Premise/plot: Danny Dunn is a daydreamer. His current obsession is space [the final frontier]. Should he be spending class time daydreaming about exploring space? Probably not. Is he punished by his observant teacher? Yes. Does that lead to a real adventure in space? Perhaps. Danny's mom is a housekeeper who works for a scientist professor, Professor Bullfinch. Danny finds the Professor fascinating. Danny "accidentally" helps the Professor invent something unexpected and unintended--anti-gravity paint. This discovery will lead them [and two others, I believe] into space in a ship of their own, a ship not powered by rockets but by anti-gravity paint. Will they arrive on earth in time for Danny to turn in his homework??? Will they return at all????

My thoughts: It's silly, but it's vintage silly. Vintage science fiction can be a hoot. This is the start of a long series. I'm not sure I'm up to reading them all. But I definitely enjoyed this one. Does it deserve to be widely read today? Probably not. Though I don't recall anything particularly offensive or inappropriate. Though to be fair, it has been over a week since I've read it. I enjoyed it because of the glimpses into the imagination. It captures a time and place where ANYTHING was possible in terms of space exploration. It isn't grounded in science but in fantasy. I do imagine that there were a LOT of young children [boys and girls] who were interested in space in the 1950s and 1960s. This children's book isn't set in the future. It doesn't star adults, it's an ADVENTURE story starring a young child that probably many original readers could relate to.… (more)