John Newberry Medal

Gantos, J. (2011). Dead end in norvelt. Harrisonburg, VA: R.R.Donnelly &

         Sons Company.

Young Adult: Historical Fiction. This story takes us through 11 yr. old Jack’s summer in southwestern Pennsylvania during the early 1960s. Though he’s grounded by his mother for the summer, he is granted leave to help out the town’s historian (and obituary writer). As more deaths of older folk occur throughout the summer, Jack attends his elderly patron in the writing of the obituaries and the history that accompanies them. There are side stories that involve Jack and his parents, interesting and historically significant. But mostly this is a story about a boy reminiscing about the older folks in his community, and the seemingly rapid way in which they disappear. Norvelt was a town originated in 1935 as a free homesteading community under federal law. Its name is a combination of Eleanor Roosevelt’s. Gantos recounts accurately, and establishes in the readers’ minds a picture of the historic Norvelt, as he painstakingly takes it apart. Recommend for ages 11 -13 as a book club read, accompanied by teacher input and questions. Independent read for age 14-adult for its theme--insistent on the value of history, defying the concept of ageism.  Awarded Scott Odell-Historical Fiction and John Newberry Award, both in 2012.