''Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine'' is the third novel in the '' Danny Dunn'' series of juvenile science fiction/adventure books written by Raymond Abrashkin and Jay Williams. The book is "about a boy who invents a machine to do his homework for him only to be tricked into doing more with his spare time". The book was first published in 1958 and originally illustrated by

Ezra Jack Keats Ezra Jack Keats (né Jacob Ezra Katz; March 11, 1916 – May 6, 1983) was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He won the 1963 Caldecott Medal for illustrating ''The Snowy Day'', which he also wrote. Keats wrote ''A Letter t ...

. This is the first novel in the series to feature Irene.

Plot

Professor Bullfinch has created a new design of computer in which the government may be greatly interested. He has to go away and leaves Danny Dunn the responsibility of continuing the process of programming data files into it. After using the computer to answer a question for his new friend, neighbour Irene Miller, he gets the idea to have the computer prepare homework. With his friend Joe Pearson and with Irene, they program the contents of textbooks into the computer. They have some success with the machine before it is sabotaged. Danny figures out what is wrong with the machine and corrects the problem. Danny's teacher also learns about the machine, and gives a special challenge to the Homework Champions.

Current science

The "homework machine" is in the style of the large mainframe computers of the 1950s, but uses magnetic tapes, and microphone input instead of paper

punched card A punched card (also punch card or punched-card) is a piece of stiff paper that holds digital data represented by the presence or absence of holes in predefined positions. Punched cards were once common in data processing applications or to di ...

s. The concept of students using computers for research is common today; however, this computer was not merely a machine to which the drudgery of solving many three or four digit long division problems could be offloaded; it was also somehow able to accept "programming" of students' text books that enabled it to write reports on topics that were covered by the text books.

Miscellania

Amateur radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communi ...

is used for the first (and possibly only) time in the series, with Danny and Irene attempting to get a homework question answered. The call signs used would have been accurate for midwestern operators in that era, but not for the mode used (shortwave). In any event, there was too much static and the children resorted to opening the windows and talking across the alley.

Reception

Floyd C. Gale wrote in the August 1959 issue of ''

Galaxy Science Fiction ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published in Boston from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by a French-Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break into the American market. World Editi ...

'' that the book was "another funful adventure".

Editions

McGraw-Hill McGraw Hill is an American educational publishing company and one of the "big three" educational publishers that publishes educational content, software, and services for pre-K through postgraduate education. The company also publishes referen ...

* Paperback, 1958, illustrated by

* Hardback, 1958, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats Brockhampton Press * Hardback, 1960, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats MacDonald and Jane's * Hardback, 1977, illustrated by Anne Mieke Archway Books * Paperback, 1979, #5 in their series Pocket Books * Paperback, 1983 reissue, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats

Musical

''Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine'' was turned into a musical children's album on both Golden Records (Golden LP 239) and Wonderland Records (WLP-338), with music composed by Julie Mandel.

References

* * {{Danny Dunn Danny Dunn 1958 American novels 1958 children's books 1958 science fiction novels