Theres a murdermystery plot wrapped around the deaths, but gantos deals with it perfunctorily and doesnt seem. Jack gantoss most popular book is dead end in norvelt. The book, which is based in part on the authors own childhood, follows the adventures of an 11yearold boy named jack, in the small town of norvelt, pennsylvania. Get in there dead end in norvelt 2012 newbery medal winner 2012 scott odell award for historical fiction. But plenty of excitement and shocks are coming jacks way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual chore. Reading guide for dead end in norvelt by jack gantos. Jack gantos has written books for people of all ages, from picture books and middlegrade fiction to novels for young adults and adults. The hero is jack gantos, a plucky 12yearold living in norvelt, the small town in pennsylvania where gantos himself grew up. 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. An exhilarating summer marked by death, gore and fire sparks deep thoughts in a smalltown lad not uncoincidentally named jack gantos. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for akid named jack gantos, whose plans for vacationexcitement are shot downwhen he is grounded for lifeby his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. 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. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to.
Learn more about dead end in norvelt by jack gantos. But plenty of excitement and shocks are coming jacks way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual choretypewriting obituaries filled with. Sep, 2011 an exhilarating summer marked by death, gore and fire sparks deep thoughts in a smalltown lad not uncoincidentally named jack gantos. Jack lives with his mom and dad in norvelt, a small town big on quirky neighbors. Jack gantos has 64 books on goodreads with 106807 ratings. Dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal. 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. They are all ribsplitting, and if you do not want to split your spine, i suggest you staple your. Dead end in norvelt jack gantos writer jack gantos has his own unusual take on a childhood in the town named after eleanor roosevelt the reallife place called norvelt, pennsylvania. Winner of the john newbery metal for the best childrens book of 2011. Jack is our herobut to be honest, hes not much of a hero, at least at first.
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. Okay, we dont know for sure that hes skinnybut we imagine he is. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of dead end in norvelt by jack gantos. Sep 14, 2011 melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is the story of an incredible two months for a boy named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation adventure are suddenly ruined when he is grounded by his feuding parents for what seems like forever. You see, because jack doesnt want his mom to find out about the ticket, he ends up letting mr. This action comes back to bite jack later in the novel. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a. A funny and historically steeped story about one boys unusual summer, writing obituaries. Dead end in norvelt is absolutely hilarious, and i feel it was a deserving winner of the newbery medal. His works include hole in my life, a memoir that won the michael l. The gore is all jacks, which to his continuing embarrassment would spray out of my nose holes like dragon flames whenever anything exciting or upsetting happens. Dead end in norvelt is a defiantly political novel that delivers some simple moral messages. 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.
If i get caught up in a good book, it will usually take me only days to finish, but dead end in norvelt took me weeks. Reading guide for dead end in norvelt by jack gantos discussion guide for book clubs. For one thing, jack does some dumb stuff for a brainy kid. Dead end in norvelt is a 2011 novel written by american author 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.
It features a boy named jack gantos and is based partly on the authors childhood in norvelt, pennsylvania. Gore is a gantos hallmark but the squeamish are forewarned that. Sep, 2011 dead end in norvelt is absolutely hilarious, and i feel it was a deserving winner of the newbery medal. Dead end in norvelt is a story about the authors youth and the town he grew up in. It features a boy named jack gantos and is based in the authors hometown, norvelt, pennsylvania. Elevenyearold jack gantos lives with his mom and dad in norvelt, pa. Mar 01, 2012 the johnson county public librarys book trailer for dead end in norvelt by jack gantos dead end in norvelt is the winner of the 2012 newbery medal for the years best contribution to childrens. 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. But plenty of excitement and shocks are coming jacks way once his mom loans him out to help a feisty old neighbor with a most unusual chore. Listen to a story from jack gantos about the dumbest boy in the world. 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.
Dead end in norvelt by jack gantos the book fairy blog. Dead end in norvelt is an autobiographicalfiction novel by the jack gantos, a wellknown children and ya author. When the government created the town in the 1930s to help the poor, its namesake, eleanor roosevelt, made sure residents had homes that allowed them to live with dignity. 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. Gantos has a great writing voice, and this novel was full of colorful, funny language. Its the summer of 1962, and jack s vacation is ruined when. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is the story of an incredible two months for a boy named jack gantos, whose plans for vacation adventure are suddenly ruined when he is grounded by his feuding parents for what seems like forever. Dead end in norvelt norvelt, book 1 by jack gantos book cover, description, publication history. Jacks nose should be gushing right now, but is doesnt happen.
Jack gantos is an american author of childrens books renowned for his portrayal of fictional joey pigza, a boy with adhd, and many other well known characters such as rotten ralph, jack henry, jack gantos memoirs and others. 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. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, dead end in norvelt is a novel about an incredible. Dead end in norvelt is an autobiographical novel by the american author jack gantos, published by farrar, straus, and giroux in 2011. Just before the novels end, jack and his mom are confronted by a masked poacher, who has just shot a deer. Readers from belvedere elementary school in falls church, virginia discuss dead end in norvelt with. Its the summer of 1962, and jack s vacation is ruined when his mom grounds him for the entire summer. 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. 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. Norvelt series by jack gantos goodreads share book. In 1962 norvelt, 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. Episode 36 dead end in norvelt jack gantos book club. 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. With surprises at every turn and more than a few outright gasps. Dead end in norvelt jack gantos macmillan macmillan publishers. I really enjoyed following the adventures of young jack gantos, or gantos boy as the tricycleriding, elderly spizz insists upon calling him.