In Short
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos is historical fiction. Set in the summer of 1962, this book tells the story of Jack's adventurous summer despite being "grounded for life" by his parents. It was published in 2011, has 352 pages, and won the 2012 Newberry Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.
Summary
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos is historical fiction. Set in the summer of 1962, this book tells the story of Jack's adventurous summer despite being "grounded for life" by his parents. It was published in 2011, has 352 pages, and won the 2012 Newberry Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.
Summary
Jack (yes, same name as the author) is supposed to be grounded all summer. His mom will only allow him out of the house to help their fiesty old neighbor type up obituaries for the local newspaper. Soon Jack starts to realize that an unusually large number of long-time Norvelt residents are dying this summer, and he suspects foul play.
My Take
I wanted to like this book, but the truth is I didn't. The pacing was too slow, and I didn't particularly connect with the characters. That said, there were interesting bits of history and parts that made me laugh out loud. I would recommend it for fans of Richard Peck's writing, which has a similar feel to me.
Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.
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