Dead End in Norvelt

Dead End In Norvelt by Jack Gantos

This book just won the Newbery Award for best children's fiction. Jack Gantos once again gives us a glimpse of what must have been a crazy upbringing (even if these events didn't exactly happen to him, he still is drawing from something he knows to make it so believable.)

Summary:

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, who's plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is "grounded for life" by his fueding parents, and who's nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. But plenty of shocks and excitement are coming Jack's way once his Mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbour with a most unusual chore.

Endlessly surprizing, this sly sharp-edge narrative is the author at his very best, making readers laugh out loud at the most unexpected things in a dead-funny depiction of growing up in a slightly of kilter place where the past is present, the present is confusing, and the future is completely up in the air.

I can say from personal experience that this book not only had me laughing out loud, but I've tested it on grade 7's and 8's and yes it got them laughing too.

Book trailer.