Rate this book

Dead End In Norvelt (2011)

by Jack Gantos(Favorite Author)

3.7 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0374379939 (ISBN13: 9780374379933)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

series

Norvelt

review 1: This book took the Newberry Medal a few years back, and for good reason. We've been reading it as a family, and it is hands-down the best book we've read this year. I am in love with it for its deep exploration of what it means to be part of a community, and for the author's innovative approach to weaving the social history of the world throughout his prose. Saoirse (11) and Bob (my husband) love it for the macabre humor (this is a laugh-out-loud book). Ula (7) thinks deeply about the rich characters, and spends a lot of time trying to solve the murder mystery. The short synopsis is that 12 year old Jack Gantos is "loaned out" over the summer by his mother to Miss Volker, a feisty elderly neighbor with debilitating arthritis who serves as the town Coroner, and who tak... morees it upon herself to write the obituary for every person who dies within the town lines. She uses this literary platform to celebrate the neighbors of this dying community, but also to teach history and advance her social agenda for progressive politics. Jack must become her hands as they both grow more immersed in the inner workings of their town and find a way to save their neighbors from murder, and their community from a slow death. This is powerful reading for those of us who are committed to living in place, no matter what blights, imperfections or quirks may scar it. I want to emphasize that this book is targeted at children in the 10-14 age range, but it satisfies far more widely than that. This should be at the top of the reading list for every grown-up I know.
review 2: This book seems to start out with me relating with it really well, as it is a kid in his summer vacation, but the aspect of having him grounded and having all of these 'adventures' during his summer while still being grounded just made it feel fun to read. Though I feel the story did drag on a bit with some events repeating themselves, I really enjoyed the ending because it ended with a bit of mystery and I never expected that. All in all it was pretty good :) less

Download links for: Dead End in Norvelt

Advertising