56) Dead End in Norvelt

Bibliography: Gantos, Jack; Dead End in Norvelt; Farrar Straus Giroux; New York; 2011; 341 pages; ISBN 978-0-374-37993-3.

Plot: Eleven year old Jack Gantos’ plans for an awesome summer are put on hold when he accidentally shoots his father’s Japanese sniper.  However, Jack has played with this rifle before and he knows all about gun safety, so how did a bullet get into the gun?  To get Jack out of the house, his mother loans him out to the neighbor, Mrs. Volker, who suffers from horrible arthritis and needs someone to pen the town obituaries.  Even though his mother thought working for Mrs. Volker will be even more punishment, Jack actually enjoys his job and gets to learn more about his favorite topic, history.  A gang of Hell’s Angels moves into town and before too long, it seems like someone is poisoning the original resident’s of Norvelt.  Surprisingly, this ends up being one of the most memorable summers of Jack’s life.

Review:  This novel is loosely based on true events that happened to Jack Gantos growing up in Norvelt, Pennsylvania.  Even though he is grounded for life, Jack is able to still experience some great changes that are happening in his town.  He is growing up in a town that was founded by Eleanor Roosevelt during the Great Depression.  However, the town is no longer prospering and is slowly being run into the ground.  There are a small few residents that were around when Mrs. Roosevelt first developed the town and are content to see it stay the way it is, including Mrs. Volker.  Mrs. Volker is determined to make sure that Norvelt will remain.  When the original members of the town start dying though it seems that her wishes will not last much longer. 

Jack is a very peculiar kid.  Since there are very few new members of Norvelt, he is one of a very small number of youngsters in the town.  He loves history and spends most of his time being grounded reading history books that his mother gets for free from the school.  He also has an issue with nose bleeds.  Anytime he gets scared or startled it starts flowing like a river down his face.

This is a very interesting novel.  Since it is loosely based on true events, the reader will be interested in guessing what is true and what is fiction.  The mystery part of this novel eluded me.  I kept waiting for more suspense, but I was let down.  I would actually suggest this novel to readers looking for humor.

Genre: Humor/Coming of Age/Historical/Mystery

Interest Level: age 9-12

Related Books: The Teacher’s Funeral by Richard Peck; Grounded by Kate Klise; Okay for Now by Gary D Schmidt.

Awards:

ALA Notable Children's Books - Older Readers Category: 2012

Newbery Medal: 2012

Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award

Author Information: http://www.jackgantos.com/

55) The Wednesday Wars

Bibliography: Schmidt, Gary D; The Wednesday Wars; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Boston/New York; 2007; 264 pages; ISBN 978-0-547-23760-2

Plot: Holling Hoodhood has just started seventh grade and his teacher, Mrs. Baker hates him.  On Wednesday afternoons Catholic students go to Catechism class and Jewish students go to Hebrew class.  Unfortunately, Holling is Presbyterian and will be the only remaining student for Mrs. Baker to look after. The first few Wednesdays Mrs. Baker makes Holling do classroom chores including cleaning erasers, cleaning the coat room, and cleaning out the rat cage.  Unfortunately, the rats get loose and Mrs. Baker realizes that Holling should learn something during the time they have together and assigns him Shakespeare plays.  Despite Holling’s first impression of Mrs. Baker, it doesn’t take long for the two to become close friends.  Taking place during the Vietnam War, readers will get a firsthand look at the issues that U.S citizens faced. 

Review:  This is a great story.  There is humor, drama, and a real life family dynamic.  Readers will be able to relate to Holling.  He is under the impression that his teacher hates him, just because of his inability to choose his religion.  When the story starts, Holling is forced to clean erasers and run various errands for Mrs. Baker.  It seems that he really is being tortured by Mrs. Baker when she makes him clean out the rat cage.  Despite his best efforts the rats escape and end up living in the ceiling tiles.  This is the first time readers see the vulnerability of Mrs. Baker.  It’s refreshing to see, since most teachers try to show they are infallible. 

Eventually, Mrs. Baker decides that the chores are doing nothing to break down Holling’s spirit and thinks that learning Shakespeare will help.  Holling is forced to read several plays by Shakespeare with Mrs. Baker instead of the chores, however, he ends up enjoying the various characters of the plays and he thinks that he has beat Mrs. Baker at her own game.  Through their Wednesday’s together, Mrs. Baker and Holling develop a deep kinship.  She helps him train for the cross country tryouts and he helps her get through the hardship of having a loved one away at war.  By the time the novel ends, readers will realize the impression a great teacher can make on a person’s life. 

This is a humorous novel, with glimpses into the impact the Vietnam War made on America.  Readers will be touched by the relationship between Holling and his friends, including Mrs. Baker.  They will also find themselves cheering for Holling as he fights to discover his true identity.

Genre: Coming of Age/Historical/Humor

Interest Level: age 9 to 12

Related Books: Where Have all the Flowers Gone? By Ellen Emerson White; The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor; War & Watermelon by Rich Wallace.

Awards: 

Newberry Honor Book: 2008

ALA Notable Children's Books - Older Readers Category: 2008

Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Older Readers Category: 2007

Oprah's Kids' Reading Lists - New Releases: 12 Years and Up

Texas Lone Star Reading Lists: 2008

Author Information: http://www.hmhbooks.com/schmidt/

17) Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

Bibliography: LaFevers, R.L; Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos; Houghton Mifflin Company; Boston; 2007; 344 pages; ISBN 978-0-618-785638-4.

Plot: Theodosia is a rather peculiar eleven year old girl.  Her parents run the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London.  Her mother frequently spends her time in Egypt excavating the pyramids of some of the greatest pharaohs to find ancient artifacts for the museum.  Theodosia is able to feel the curses imparted upon the artifacts, and works to remove them.  When her mother brings back the Heart of Egypt, Theo is in for one of the largest jobs of her life.  The curse on the artifact brings chaos to London, and it is up to Theo to return the artifact to the pyramid.

Review:  The novel is told from Theodosia’s point of view and she is very creative and interesting character.  Even though she should be in school, she has talked her parents into letting her quit school to hang around the museum.  Her brother Henry dislikes the museum and willing returns to school at the start of every term.  When Theo’s mother returns after an exceptionally long trip to Egypt, she is very happy to see her mother, but worries about all of the new curses that will be brought into the museum.  Her brother Henry returns to London for winter break and starts to help Theodosia after they discover the Heart of Egypt has gone missing from the museum.  Theodosia is soon able to regain possession of the Heart of Egypt and is chosen by The Brotherhood of Chosen Keepers to return the Heart to Egypt.   Theodosia has to stow away on a ship and face the members of the Serpents of Chaos to return the Heart of Egypt. 

I really enjoyed this book and the adventure that Theodosia takes readers on.  Setting the story in historical London, helps with the ideas of different societies fighting over an ancient artifact.  The story starts slowly, but speeds up about half way through.  As great as the story is, the action happens to quickly and the ending comes too soon.  I do think that once a tween is hooked on Theodosia’s character, they will be quick to pick up the other books in the series.

Genre: Historical/Adventure

Interest Level: age 10-14

Related Books: The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson; The Bones of the Holy by Jennifer Allison; The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Characters: 

Theodosia – the protagonist

Henry – Theo’s brother

Sticky Will – an orphaned pick pocket that comes to the aid of Henry and Theo

Theodosia’s Parents – Her father runs the museum, while her mother explores Egypt for artifacts

Wigmere – The head of the Brotherhood

Awards:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A Booksense Summer Pick

Michigan Library Association 2007 Mitten Award Honor Title

Author Information: http://www.rllafevers.com/About.html