Unfortunately, though the basic premise is pretty amusing, the story is dated. I remember this book from when I was a kid, all the way back in the 1980s. The subway commuters here look a little dated - very 80s in their appearance - but otherwise this one holds up quite well, especially with that hilarious ending, in which Jonathan convinces the computer man to switch the subway stop to the Mayor's office! Recommended to Munsch/Martchenko fans, and to anyone looking for picture-books with a somewhat oddball sense of humor. The matter-of-fact madness of the hi-jinks here contrasts nicely with Jonathan's civic-minded response, as he heads to City Hall for an answer. Originally published in 1981, this entertaining picture-book from Canadian author/illustrator team Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko has that surreal sense of humor I have come to associate with their work. Then he discovers who controls the computer, fetches him some jam, and gets the problem solved. Seeking answers at City Hall, Jonathan is told by the mayor that everything is controlled by the computer, and that there is nothing to be done. At first Jonathan's mother doesn't believe him, but then she witnesses the phenomenon herself. But then a subway stop just opens up in his apartment wall, and chaos ensures. When Jonathan's mother pops out to the shop for a can of noodles, she tells him not to make a mess. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!) This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever.

Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 19. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. He graduated from Fordham University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and from Boston University in 1971 with a Master of Arts degree in anthropology. Robert Munsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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