Historical, realistic, mystery, middle grade publisher. Jack gantos, who has many awardwinning books to his name, definitely needs a huge round of applause for this book. Sep, 2011 dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens literature and the scott odell award for historical fiction. Jack gantos books list of books by author jack gantos. The two best things about jack gantos s grotesque, tragicomic, and nostalgic dead end in norvelt are its lively young narrator, jack gantos, and norvelt, his town a new deal homestead community on the skids in pennsylvania see sidebar.
Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a. Jacks insatiable need to know about things whether its the history he reads in books or the whisper history of norvelt gossip actually ends up helping him to mature. He is best known for the fictional characters rotten ralph and joey pigza. Dead end in norvelt is an autobiographical novel by the american author jack gantos, published by farrar, straus, and giroux in 2011. Dead end in norvelt norvelt, book 1 by jack gantos book cover, description, publication history. Rotten ralph is a cat who stars in twenty picture books written by gantos, and illustrated by nicole rubel from 1976 to 2014. Jack gantos has 65 books on goodreads with 107426 ratings. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens literature and the scott odell award. Dead end in norvelt norvelt series 9780374379933 by gantos, jack and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Gantos writes a funny, offbeat, and nostalgic tale about childhood growing up in the shadows of world war ii, a simpler time in many ways, but also one marked by impending change. Dead end in norvelt by jack gantos isnt one of the great ones.
Learn more about dead end in norvelt by jack gantos. Dead end in norvelt is absolutely hilarious, and i feel it was a deserving winner of the newbery medal. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is. Sep, 2011 dead end in norvelt ebook written by jack gantos. Dead end in norvelt, winner of the newbery medal and the. Jun 29, 2012 the hero is jack gantos, a plucky 12yearold living in norvelt, the small town in pennsylvania where gantos himself grew up. Dead end in norvelt offers up a historical comedy that chronicles one summer in the life of young jack gantos living in norvelt, pennsylvania. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal. Jack gantos s most popular book is dead end in norvelt. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets.
I really enjoyed following the adventures of young jack gantos, or gantos boy as the tricycleriding, elderly spizz insists upon calling him. Like the author, jackie lives for a time in norvelt, a real pennsylvania town created during. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read dead end in norvelt. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for. Jack gantoss most popular book is dead end in norvelt.
Joey pigza loses control summer reading edition joey pigza books paperback. The bellingham herald this is a brilliant book, full of history, mystery, and laughs. The two best things about jack gantoss grotesque, tragicomic, and nostalgic dead end in norvelt are its lively young narrator, jack gantos, and norvelt, his town a new deal homestead community on the skids in pennsylvania see sidebar. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life by his.
Plot summary in the summer of 1962, jack gantos was expecting to have the most exciting summer vacation in the town of norvelt, pennsylvania but finds himself being grounded by his parents for different reasons. Dead end in norvelt by jack gantos melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. See all books authored by jack gantos, including joey pigza swallowed the key joey pigza books, and hole in my life, and more on. Its the summer of 1962, and jack s vacation is ruined when his mom grounds him for the entire summer. Nov 17, 2012 jack gantos dead end in norvelt is the touching and laughoutloud funny story of a boy named jack gantos growing up in the small town of norvelt, pennsylvania.
Gantos has a great writing voice, and this novel was full of colorful, funny language. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation. Dead end in norvelt in the historic town of norvelt, pennsylvania, twelveyearold jack gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, girl scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses. Dead end in norvelt dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens literature and the scott odell award for historical fiction melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is. Dead end in norvelt, this years newberry winner for best young adult fiction, is even more hilarious in audio form as read by author jack gantos. Dead end in norvelt publishers summary winner of the john newbery metal for the best childrens book of 2011.
Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life by. With surprises at every turn and more than a few outright gasps. Jacks plans for summertime excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life by his feuding parents. Jack gantos has written books for people of all ages, from picture books and middlegrade fiction to novels for young adults and adults. Winner of the john newbery metal for the best childrens book of 2011. In 1962 norvelt, pennsylvania, summer moves slowly for twelveyearold jack gantos.
What finally nudged me to pick the book up was seeing jack gantos speak in springfield at the illinois reading council conference. For example, take the moment he decides to sneak out of his house at night because bunny has promised that she will tell jack why her dad is selling the norvelt houses to. His works include hole in my life, a memoir that won the michael l. The hero is jack gantos, a plucky 12yearold living in norvelt, the small town in pennsylvania where gantos himself grew up. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens literature and the scott odell award for historical fiction. Jack gantos born july 2, 1951 is an american author of childrens books. Its the summer of 1962, and jacks vacation is ruined when his mom grounds him for the entire summer.
Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement ar. A funny and historically steeped story about one boys unusual summer, writing obituaries. The second clue is that comedy writer dave barry calls this a brilliant book. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens literature and the scott odell award for historical fiction melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life. Not only is it leftist propaganda never a surprise with the newberys, its poorly written, not very funny, and more or less completely unbelievable. Dead end in norvelt by jack gantos the book fairy blog. Instead, hes a skinny twelveyearold with a tendency to get nosebleeds and not much of a backbone. Jack is our herobut to be honest, hes not much of a hero, at least at first. Norvelt, a real town founded during the new deal as a place for displaced workers to be able to have their own home and land to farm, is the place where the author grew up, and by giving the protagonist his name, he creates a world. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens literature and. My family howled out loud as we listened to it during a spring break drive to california. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens literature and the scott odell award for historical fiction melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life by.
Jack lives with his mom and dad in norvelt, a small town big on quirky neighbors. The good news is, once his mom loans him out to a feisty old neighbor to help with an unusual chore. By the time id read about 20 pages, i wasnt sure i could finish the book because i spent so much time laughing my head off. Pennsylvania, summer moves slowly for twelveyearold jack gantos. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life by his f. For one thing, jack does some dumb stuff for a brainy kid.
It features a boy named jack gantos and is based in the authors hometown, norvelt, pennsylvania. The first clue that dead end in norvelt is funny is that the main character, jack gantos, has the same name as the author. I have to admit, once i heard it won the award i was less interested in actually picking it up to read it. The summer of 1962 filtered through jacks psyche and registered. Dead end in norvelt by jack gantos overdrive rakuten. I mean, sure an award of that caliber denotes a certain standard of literary quality, but it doesnt always ensure the same high standard of interest. Dead end in norvelt by jack gantos and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Joey pigza is a boy with attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder adhd, featured in five novels from 1998 to 2014. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two. Jack gantos dead end in norvelt is the touching and laughoutloud funny story of a boy named jack gantos growing up in the small town of norvelt, pennsylvania. Okay, we dont know for sure that hes skinnybut we imagine he is. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is grounded for life. In short, i expected dead end in norvelt by jack gantos to be. Sep, 2011 dead end in norvelt in the historic town of norvelt, pennsylvania, twelveyearold jack gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, girl scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses.
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