So here’s the thing: I want Phil. I’m not going to beat around the bush and waffle on – I want Phil. That suave talking finger monkey has got to be one of the best things ever. So please can I have my own?The Imagination Box is a great idea. According to the inventor, Professor Eisenstone, there are restrictions – such as you can’t have ‘hot ice’ (you’d get water) but Tim’s imagination conjures up much more than the Professor expected. Including Phil, who we’ve already establ [...]

Despite being recently adopted, 10 year old Tim is lonely. His best friends are his pencil and sketch pad. Tim's new dad is busy traveling for his work and his new mom is busy scolding him for mussing up the hotel she runs, which happens to be their home. On his way to sneak some treats, Tim meets Professor Eisenstone. The Professor has a secrethe's created a machine that will create whatever you imagine! Tim not only discovers the box but finds out that he has the power to use it! The Professor [...]

Summary: Tim is an average child with a strong imagination, who happens to be an orphan. There are several things that he wishes he could change about his life. What will happen when the opportunity is presented to him, will he take it? Tim meets Dr. Eisenstone who has invented the imagination box. With this box, all you need to do is put on a special hat and anything that you imagine will become a reality. However, the professor has a hard time getting it working after it broke. With the help o [...]

The book started off well and did have some interesting twists however some of the storyline was annoyingly obvious (spoiler: the cop acted guilty the entire book and then, surprise surprise, was guilty). Perhaps a younger reader might not see this coming? It's sometimes hard to put yourself back into the mind frame of your younger self but I suspect even if I were younger I would have seen this coming. This kind of spoiled the last few chapters for me. However, one of my students read it last y [...]

The writing was sloppy and lazy, and the imagination box was a easy way out for the author to proceed with the events Could have been so much better.

I really enjoyed this book, but didn't care for the ending. It felt like a younger read chapter book until a deeper ending that would go over the heads of most in that age category.

My overall feeling on this book is that it was solid and dependable. Interesting idea (although not entirely unique), a bit of mystery and intrigue to keep the story moving, and an amusing sidekick. Nothing really stands out for me, but I was entertained enough to finish it.

The beginning of the story draws the reader in. The ending was rough. Death, insanity, lots of issues going on that the author tries to tie up. I was thinking of using this with a student book club, not any more.

Tim langweilt sich im Hotel seiner Adoptiveltern. Er lebt wie ein Gast, für den es von Verboten und Hindernissen nur so wimmelt. Malen in der Lobby ist verboten, Essen aus der Küche stibitzen natürlich auch, ins oberste Stockwerk darf er auf keinen Fall und Gäste belästigen noch weniger.Doch einer der Gäste, Professor Eisenstein mag Tim und lädt ihn zu sich ins Zimmer ein. Er zeigt ihm seine neueste Erfindung, eine geheimnisvolle Kiste voller Drähte, eine Wunschbox, die alles erschaffen [...]

4.5 starsTotal wish-fulfilment plot: a device that you can connect your brain to, and whatever you think of comes into existence. Great idea for a children's book.Tim is a future artist, he is always drawing. Adopted by the very busy owners of a hotel, he is often left to his own devices and knows his way around the building. A new guest intrigues him and it isn't long before his inquisitiveness lands him in the middle of a plot with a box at its heart - a box that can create anything you could [...]

Ten-year-old Tim isn't sure how much his adoptive parents care about him. After all, his new father seems busy with his work, and his new mother spends all her time and energy on the hotel which she runs and where they live. But a chance encounter with Professor Eisenstone changes his life. The scientist has invented a box that can turn whatever is in someone's imagination into something real. He hasn't been able to get it to work until Tim tests it out. As it turns out, Tim has just the fertile [...]

Tim is an adventurous 10 year old who lives in the hotel his adoptive parents run. When a professor stays in the hotel, Tim discovers his invention, and is able to make it work. When the professor goes missing, Tim joins up with the professor’s granddaughter to work out what’s going on.There’s quite a mix within this book – firstly is the main adventure, complete with crazy scientists, people who aren’t who they seem, and the technology. Within are also other issues, such as Tim’s re [...]

"There is a box. Anything you imagine will appear inside. You have one go, one chance to create anything you want. What would you pick?"So the story starts, with the promise of mystery, scientific innovation, and quirky, fun characters--however, it falls a little short. There are many humorous scenes, especially when Phil the finger monkey is involved, and while the characters are mostly likable and interesting, they also feel inconsistent. Dee's character fell a little flat and I wanted to know [...]

Love, love, love!From the awesome plot, hilarious moments of adventure and chaos, to the utterly fantastic characters this book is a must read for anyone aged 9+.I would very much like my own Imagination Box!

We had a hard time getting into this book. Although the concept was really interesting, the characters were not and the plot was tedious.

Great. full of imaginative what-ifs. Also the coolest idea for a comoanion/pet in Phil a finger - monkey, I want one too. Lots of lively action to readers entertained.

I personally didn't like the book I found it a bit of a bore I thanked it's aimed for younger children