Starred Review ALA Booklist (Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Starred Review The wisecracking teenage Brooklynite introduced in Shusterman's award-winning The Schwa Was Here (2004) takes a second ride on the emotional roller coaster in this equally screwball sequel. When classmate Gunnar Ümlaut announces that he is going to die in six months from a rare disease, Antsy Bonnano prints up a formal contract that signs over a month of his own life to his gloomy buddy. This impulsive gesture of comfort unexpectedly nets Antsy a series of dates with Gunnar's hot older sister Kjersten t also takes on a life of its own when everyone who finds out about the good deed wants to get into the act. Meanwhile, Antsy and his closest friend (and ex-girlfriend), blind Lexie, plot to kidnap Lexie's irascible grandpa "Creepy" Crawley (again), and Antsy's father works his way toward heart-attack country struggling to get the Bonnano family's new restaurant on its feet. Featuring a terrific supporting cast led by Antsy's wise, acerbic mother, an expert blend of comedy and near tragedy, and the wry observations of a narrator whose glib tongue and big heart are as apt to get him into trouble as out of it, this will keep tween readers hooked from start to finish.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Gr 7-10 In this sequel to The Schwa Was Here (Dutton, 2004), Brooklynite Antsy Bonano, 14, finds another peculiar friend, a Swedish import named Gunnar Ümlaut. When a balloon from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade gets away, Antsy and his friends Howie and Ira head into Manhattan to follow the debacle. On the way, they run into their classmate Gunnar. Watching the catastrophe unfold, he confides to Antsy that he's been "coming to disasters" lately, and that he's dying of Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia. Gunnar says he has only six months to live, so Antsy gives him one of his own, drawing up a legal-looking document, and, before he knows it, the whole school's giving Gunnar months of their lives. Spending more time at Gunnar's house, Antsy falls for his friend's older sister, and also notices that things seem off. Gunnar's obsession with his presumed imminent death is largely ignored. When Antsy discovers that Gunnar is not going to die, that he was "diagnosed" by a fake online doctor, he wonders why the boy lied. As Antsy uncovers the truththat Gunnar's dad has gambled away the family's money and they're headed back to Swedenhe learns more about the meaning of the time you have on Earth. This novel is as cleverly plotted and well paced as The Schwa ; it is 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. Jennifer Barnes, Homewood Library, IL

Horn Book (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

After learning that his friend Gunnar has a fatal disease, Antsy Bonano (The Schwa Was Here) "gives" Gunnar a month of his life. The idea catches on, but the problem is that Gunnar's not actually sick. The book's many strands don't quite weave together, but Antsy remains a fresh and winning amalgam of smart aleck and schlemiel.

Kirkus Reviews

Antsy Bonano of The Schwa Was Here (2004) continues his trend of befriending boys named after vowel sounds and diacritics, when he strikes up a strange relationship with classmate Gunnar Umlaut. When Gunnar casually reveals that he's dying of Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia, Antsy just as casually offers Gunnar a month of his own life. But the friendly offhand gesture prompts other students to follow suit, in a trend which soon spirals out of control, leading to school-districtsponsored rallies and door-to-door time collection. Meanwhile, Antsy struggles with his attraction to Gunnar's gorgeous older sister, Kjersten. 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. (Fiction. 11-13)

Voice of Youth Advocates

Good news: Antsy Bonano of The Schwa Was Here (Dutton, 2004/VOYA October 2004) is back. The difficult-to-see Schwa is replaced this time with an œmlaut-high school freshman Gunnar œmlaut, who announces on Thanksgiving Day that he has only six months to live. In an effort to bolster Gunnar's spirits, Antsy impulsively writes his classmate a contract giving Gunnar a month of his own life. Gunnar is pleased, but, even better, his older sister (a Swedish goddess) Kjersten gives Antsy a kiss that is caught on film by the school's photographer. As the buying-time movement swings up and out of control, Antsy begins to see that Gunnar's dysfunctional family is part of the problem-or perhaps the cause of the problem. Antsy tries to figure out what to do while his own family struggles with their new Italian-French restaurant that the ever-grumpy and very rich Mr. Crawley owns. But with tenacity and the help of Lexie and Crawley, Antsy and his family land on their feet while Gunnar finds a new lease on life. Shusterman creates a delightful Everyguy in Antsy. He is hilarious, awkward, and frustrated but always genuine. With the loveable cast of characters behind him, including Ansty'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. Junior high students looking for a fun, thoughtful story need look no further.-Mary Ann Darby.