Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and laughed out loud many, many times. It's quirky, funny, educational, and just a great read. Can you imagine a 12 year old boy whose biggest excitement of the summer is getting out of the house to help an old lady write obituaries? It's a quick read - everyone should pick it up.

Here is the summary from the book itself:

In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he 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.

Review and giveaway: Finding Our Way Home by Charlene Ann Baumbich

Congratulations to Jen L. who won a copy! Watch for an email from me.

This is the story of two very different women who are brought together and become unlikely friends. Sasha Davis is a depressed, nearing-40, professional ballerina whose career ends abruptly in an accident; Evelyn Burt is the ebullient, still-teenager who enters Sasha's life as a caregiver.

When I began reading this book, the characters seemed cardboard and cliché. I was, at first, reading the book out of duty, having received a copy to review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group. After a few chapters, though, I was hooked. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the characters develop through the novel's timeframe, especially Evelyn; her relationships with Sasha, with her parents, and with her boyfriend chronicle a growing maturity. And there's a happy ending:)

I give this book a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5. It's a fun read, once you get going.

Click HERE to read an excerpt (Chapter 1). Click HERE for a more detailed synopsis and reviews.

I have one free copy of this book to give away. For one entry, please rate my book review and leave me a comment; it can be about anything - a book you've liked or disliked, your most tried and true recipe, a recent parenting discovery, what the weather is like where you are, or anything else that's on your mind. Winner will be announced here on Monday 3/26 and will have 48 hours to respond. Your email is not visible to me; it is used to verify that you are submitting only one rating.