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.

The View from Saturday

As a middle school librarian, I take pride in the number of books I have read. Having just finished The View from Sunday, I will no longer have to hear the incredulous exclamation from others, “You haven’t read E.L. Konigsburg’s The View from Saturday?”. Now I see why others are so surprised that this clever novel was missing from my collection of have-read books. What appeals to me the most about Konigsburg’s books is the way she develops her characters…they stay with you long after the book has ended. The View from Saturday begins with Mrs. Olinski, the quiz bowl sponsor and sixth-grade teacher, reflecting on how she chose her quiz bowl team members. Injured in an accident, Mrs. Olinski is a paraplegic who teaches her class from her wheelchair. Her quiz bowl team has made it to the championship round, surprisingly beating out older middle school teams. The complex story then contains four reflective short stories that share each team member’s background; separated by quiz bowl activity and Mrs. Olinski’s own story. I love how Konigsburg slowly reveals her characters in this story. Quiz bowl members – Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian – are linked in more ways than one despite having different personalities. Another treat is how each member is able to answer a quiz bowl question and the reader understands how he or she knows the answer. The story gives us affirmation that goodness triumphs and that friends give us what we need. Other books by this Newbery Medal winning author include From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Silent to the Bone, The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, and The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World.

Moon over Manifest

The Newbery Medal Winner for 2011 is Clare Vanderpool’s Moon over Manifest. Initially, I listened to the audiobook version, but recommend reading the book instead. The storyline bounces back and forth from present day, 1936, and the past, 1917-18. It is told through dialogues, letters, and newspaper articles; thus, reading the actual book is so much better. Abilene Tucker has heard so many stories about Manifest, her father’s hometown settled by immigrants from different countries. At the beginning of the story, Abilene’s father, Gideon, sends her away to stay with a family friend, Pastor Shady Howard, in Manifest. While playing in an old tree fort outside of Shady’s home, Abilene finds a cigar box filled with a map, various mementos, and letters from a soldier named Ned addressed to someone named Jinx. Abilene is determined to find out about her father’s past. Maybe the box holds clues to just that. The first letter indicates that there is a spy, known as the Rattler, amongst the good people of Manifest. Abilene and her friends are on a mission to find out who the spy could be. With the help of a spiritual diviner and Hattie May’s newsletters, Abilene is determined to uncover the secrets that Manifest holds. This is another example of storytelling at its best!

Island of the Blue Dolphins

I love the conversations we have with our friends about books that have made lasting impressions in our lives. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell was one of those special books that I was encouraged to read after a friend (teacher & future librarian) shared her enthusiasm for it. I was searching for a book that my middle school Book Talk Club members had not yet read and this was a perfect selection. This 1961 Newbery Medal Winner is based on a true story. An island located off the coast of California was inhabited by Indians in the early 1800s. A ship carrying Aleut hunters arrived on the island to hunt otter. The Aleut met with the Chief - father of Karana, Ramo, and Ulape – and agreed to share part of their kill with the Indians. When the Aleut did not fulfill their part of the bargain, the natives fought back. The Aleut hurriedly leave with all of the otter pelts and the results of the battle that ensued are tragic. The Indian community lost so many of their men including the Chief. After many months, the survivors decide to leave the island by way of a ship sent by one of their former islanders. When young Karana sees that her little brother is being left on the island after going back to get his spear, she leaps off the ship to be with him. The ship has to continue on its journey, because the seas are too rough to return to the island. When tragedy strikes, Karana is left all alone. This is a moving story about survival, perseverance, and human nature. I gave my friend a hard time when I reflected on the sad parts of this book – they were heart-wrenching, but I am so happy that I read this timeless tale. Take the time to read Lois Lowry’s connection to Scott O’Dell on Amazon. Also, read about what happened when Scott O’Dell’s family scattered his ashes off the coast of California. Both are wonderful stories!

Walk Two Moons

Just a few weeks ago, author Sharon Creech, commented on my blog in response to my review of her recent novel, The Unfinished Angel. To say that I was thrilled was an understatement. Authors to me are like rock stars to many of you! As soon as I read the comment, I screamed for the only audience I had - my 16-year-old and 19-year-old sons – to come read this. I couldn’t wait to get back to school to share this with my students. My sons and my students thought it was awesome. Consequently, my student Book Talk Club is reading her Newbery Medal (1995) winning book, Walk Two Moons, and will meet this Wednesday to discuss it. What a gift this sequence of events has been. This was my first time to read it…it is now on my top ten favorite books of all-time. At the beginning of the story, Sal (short for Salamanca) reflects on the day she and her father moved from their beloved country farm to a city in Ohio. She reluctantly meets her father’s lady friend, Mrs. Cadaver, and sees a girl’s face peering out of a window in the house next door. She would later meet and become close friends with the girl named Phoebe. Mysterious notes are showing up on Phoebe’s doorsteps. Shortly after the notes appear, Phoebe’s mom leaves her family with very little explanation. Could Mrs. Cadaver (the name says it all) have something to do with Phoebe’s mom’s disappearance? Sal doubts Phoebe’s mom will come back; after all, her mom hasn’t. Time has passed…Sal is going on a trip with her entertaining grandparents (on her father’s side) driving many miles to see her mother. She is determined that they get to their destination by her mother’s birthday – it is her last hope. Sal’s mother left her and her father when they lived in the country to sort things out. As they begin traveling, Sal tells her grandparents Phoebe’s story which intertwines with her story and her grandparents’ story. The three face numerous obstacles along the way – reliving someone else’s experiences. I don’t want to spoil anything for you if you haven’t read this, so I will just say that this is storytelling at its best. When you finish this book, you will treasure your relationships even more and you will listen to the stories of others a little more closely. I would recommend this to teachers looking for a class novel.