“Wittily perceptive social criticism and haunting, surrealistic imagery... This all-ages delight deserves rescue and is ideal for classroom (or bedtime) read-alouds—especially if the grown-ups pay attention along with the children.” —Kirkus

“A modern classic for all ages.” —ForeWord Review

"A German Classic returns to print" —Publishers Weekly

"A wonderful new translation with simple, gorgeous illustrations by Marcel Dzama. A masterpiece." —The Globe and Mail

"If there was only one children’s book I could put on the list of must-read, yet hardly known, children’s books, it would have to be Momo. I fell in love with the book, despite the fact that when I first went to read it, I assumed I wouldn’t like it at all!" —LitKidz

"A joyful read." —About.com

Momo is a young girl of indeterminate age living alone in the forest. When she first arrived, the adults from the nearby community came to see her, wanting to help, but they soon realized the only things she needed were material things, so they donated a stove, a bed, and some warm clothing. But the children of the community soon came to depend on her. "Nothing's fun without Momo," they would say. She never told them what to do, but any way of playing that she suggested always turned into great fun. But one day a veritable army of gray men appears. They are time thieves, and they begin their operations by convincing people that time must be saved. The saved time, they say, will be put in account for later use. For some reason, the adults fall for this. Men who had loved their work and never worried whether they were on time or not suddenly feel that they must produce more (of whatever it is they produce,) and must produce it faster. There is no longer time for family or friends or anything but work. And the children get assigned to factories, but they are never sure just why they are there, or why their work is important. They simply must save time—by the second, if possible. And Momo? Well, Momo is deserted. No one comes to see her anymore, and so she determines to go and find out why. She finally discovers the man who is in charge of time. With his help, and the help of his tortoise, she manages to save the day. This is a fun read, a little confusing, but on the whole worth it. Reviewer: Judy Silverman

In a small, friendly town, in the ruins of an old amphitheater, lives Momo, a young orphan girl with an uncanny ability to listen. The friendly townspeople take care of Momo, bringing her food and making her a stove and a bed, and in return Momo listens, resolving conflict and allowing imaginations to flourish. But when gray men start to show up, the pace of the town changes. Everything becomes more efficient; no time is wasted. As a result, the adults become too busy for the children, and there is no longer any time to "waste" thinking, telling stories, or just listening to one another. To save her town, Momo goes on a magical journey to the realm of Master Secundius Minutius Hora, who teaches Momo about appreciating special times and not clock time. When Momo can teach this to the rest of the town, the gray men no longer have human accomplices and are defeated. Though Ende is more well known for his novel (and its filmic adaptation) The Neverending Story, Momo is the novel that first earned him literary acclaim. This edition celebrates Momo's fortieth anniversary with a new translation and new illustrations. Despite being forty years old, Ende's critique of contemporary culture—efficiency over quality, arbitrary deadlines instead of organic intervals, and even technology (like radios and books on tape) over human interaction—still rings true. Ende's story is heavy handed and will probably be more attractive to luddite adults than teen readers, though light fantasy and Ende fans might be intrigued by Ende's fairy-tale worlds. Reviewer: Jennifer Miskec

08/01/2016
Gr 5–7—A reissued classic celebrating its 40th anniversary from the author of The Neverending Story. This is a classic fantasy novel whose title character is a young girl of mysterious origin, a most loved orphan living in present-day anywhere (but probably a small village in Italy). Momo doesn't know how old she is but says, "As far as I remember, I've always been around," and she has built strong friendships with her fellow villagers based on her extraordinary listening ability. Around the time the mysterious men in gray start appearing, Momo's friends start to have less time to spend enjoying life or hanging out with her. Momo sets out to get her friends and their time back. The tale of Momo is driven by its plot and moves at a comfortable pace, engaging readers as if they are villagers in the story. Ende is a captivating storyteller, and this edition of the book includes occasional illustrations, adding a bit of shaping and mood to the descriptions. Some mild profanity may make this selection unsuitable for more sensitive readers. VERDICT Sure to delight readers of classic fantasy.—Sara Jurek, Children's English Library, Stuttgart, Germany

The 40th-anniversary edition of a beloved German fable carries a pointed message that might already be too late. Momo, a homeless, parentless waif of undetermined age in a nameless European city, is blessed with the gift of listening--"with utmost attention and sympathy"--and adopted by her humble neighbors as a treasured member of their community. Then the sinister gray men arrive, persuading everyone to "save time" by abandoning such idle pleasures as friendship and play. The townsfolk become obsessed with efficiency and shallow consumption, their lives stripped of dreams, beauty and joy. Targeted by the gray men, Momo escapes to the very heart of time to discover the secrets that will rescue her friends. The heavy-handed moral is impossible to miss, but the tale is saved from being preachy by wittily perceptive social criticism and haunting, surrealistic imagery. Despite some mild profanities, this new translation is more graceful and whimsical than the 1985 edition, though lacking its old-fashioned charm; the dark and dreary pen-and-ink illustrations do not improve on the earlier simple line drawings. Nonetheless, this all-ages delight deserves rescue and is ideal for classroom (or bedtime) read-alouds--especially if the grown-ups pay attention along with the children. (Fantasy. 10 & up)