Dead End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos
Book Summary:
Dead End in Norvelt is the story of a boy named Jack Gantos
and his summer in his small town of Norvelt. After being grounded for the
summer, Jack ends up helping out his elderly neighbor who has arthritis. She is
the medical examiner and obituary writer for the town, so she needs Jack to
drive her around and write for her. The pair spends plenty of time together
after an unusual amount of older Norvelt residents begin to pass away. Jack has
his fair share of adventure and mischief and gains an unlikely friend in the
process. Jack also learns a lot about the great individuals that make up his
town, and their history of overcoming struggle together.
APA Reference of Book:
Gantos, J.
(2011). Dead end in Norvelt. New
York, NY: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.
Impressions:
I loved Dead End in Norvelt! It has a quirky
storyline and moments that cause you to laugh out loud. Jack is mischievous,
yet still responsible enough to help out his elderly neighbor, Miss Volker. People
of all ages will love the funny adventures Jack and Miss Volker share while
writing the obituaries for the town newspaper. It has historical facts
sprinkled throughout, which will delight history buffs and fans of non-fiction.
The humor in this book kept catching me off guard and I found myself laughing
and smiling throughout the entire book.
Professional Review:
“In the Preface, Mr. Gantos does not care to specify which
elements of this story have their basis in truth and which have their basis in
far-flung fiction. I suspect you’ll be able to parse the two in your own mind,
even while you sit back and admire the man’s storytelling skills. By and large,
the book is built for a stage production. You’ve a limited number of sets and a
small manageable cast. Kids, however, will be most intrigued by the book if you
hook them on the darker elements. The sheer gushing torrents of blood (this has
got to be the most inadvertent blood-soaked book of the year), the deaths, and
even the mystery, when told properly, should lure them in. It’s not an easy
book, but it does make for a compelling story, in spite of the protagonist’s limited
movements. I walked into this title looking for an explanation of what makes
Jack Gantos tick. I never found my answer. Instead, I found a book I can read
and enjoy and recommend ad nauseum. And as trades go, that one sounds like a
good deal to me.”
Bird,
E. (2011, April 30). Review of the day: Dead end in Norvelt by Jack Gantos [Review of the book Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2011/04/30/review-of-the-day-dead-end-in-norvelt-by-jack-gantos/#_
Library Uses:
A fun activity
for the whole community would be to have a community photo contest. Since this
book has a community theme to it, it would be fun to involve as many people as
possible. People could submit a photo of their favorite landmark, place, and
things from the town. All of the photos could be displayed and after a month a
“winner” could be chosen. The photo could be featured in the library
newsletter, website and even the town newspaper. This would involve everyone in
the community, not just kids. Plus, it would be a great way to remind everyone
what is so wonderful about the town they live in.
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