Dead End in Norvelt

Dead End in Norvelt by talented Jack Gantos is the 2012 Newbery Medal Winner. Gantos takes his readers on a journey to his childhood in a small town called Norvelt. Boys will especially love the wacky things that Jack does in the story beginning with accidentally shooting his father's souvenir Japanese sniper rifle from WWII. The year is 1962, families are preparing for the possibility of an attack by the Russians in the midst of the Cold War. Jack gets horrible nose bleeds from any little disturbance he experiences. His parents' disagreements don't help the situation. When he is asked by old Miss Volker who has crippled hands from arthritis to help write the obituaries for the town newspaper, he learns the history of Norvelt and her desire to preserve the historic neighborhood. When the oldest members of Norvelt start dying off within days of each other, this humorous book becomes a mystery. Could Miss Volker be involved? Other suspects include the funeral home owner, Mr. Spizz (the man who controls a lot of Norvelt), and even Jack himself. Read this award winning book to find out how a curious young boy learns a lot about himself and his unusual little town while doing nice things for his elderly neighbors. Other great books by Gantos include his Joey Pigza series, Rotten Ralph series, Hole in my Life (autobiography), Jack on the Tracks: Four Seasons of Fifth Grade, and Heads or Tails: Stories from the Sixth Grade.