Still, A Must-read {Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos}

I’ll have it out there right from the start. It wasn’t to my taste. If you were a discerning reader, you’d know right away that that alone shouldn’t be any indication of whether it’d be to your taste or not. Take, for example, my sashimi eating habits. I happen to only like salmon sashimi, and nothing else, despite my husband’s attempts to make an introduction here and there. They have remained introductions. This says nothing at all about whether or not you should be ordering a variety sashimi platter.

On to the book, then. Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos. It was an odd reading experience. I spent about two hours getting through the first 40 pages, largely because I kept falling asleep, or having to re-read bits which were unclear, which led to more dozing, and more re-reading. Okay, so it was off to a slow start. That’s fine with me. Later on, maybe a third way through, I found myself laughing out loud for a whole two or three pages or so. Those might just have been the funniest two pages of YA novel I’ve read so far. No kidding. But you know how it is, I begin to expect a bouquet of roses every other day. Of course, I was disappointed. The book didn’t quite keep up the funny factor. Two thirds of the way through, I felt incredibly frustrated with something a character (and I thought – the book) had said. So blatant, and so conceited. Those were my thoughts. All through the reading, I found myself too often encountering parts I had to get through, simply because the words were there. It was tiresome. Near the end, it became clearer what the author’s point was (and believe me – he has a point – read this article), but how clumsily put across was what I thought. And the fact that the book was a mystery completely missed my attention till almost at the end… okay, I could have been slow on the uptake.

All in all, the book felt like a post-modern collage, full of unexpected juxtapositions, weirdness, and bewilderment. I’d say that it was a commendable attempt to depart from convention and a certain linearity about narrative and life. There was nothing ordinary about this book; in fact, I’d definitely say that it stood out, that it distinguished itself from other books, and that it makes a unique contribution to the field. What is more, when considering the main message of the book (the value of history), it’s hard to deny that the book does have an enduring message, especially for our time. Why would it not deserve the Newbery? I’d say it did, in every way.

It’s just that – the Newbery (and many other awards, for that matter) – are not necessarily given to the books which are, in my opinion, the most well-crafted. Neither has anyone promised me that the Newberys would strike that connection with me personally. That’s the way it is with awards – they are given to books which fulfill certain criteria. Often, these are not the same criteria by which we decide on books which are our favorites.

So, allow me to say it one more time (simply because it’s so rare this is the case): this book was not to my taste. Yet, I recommend it to you wholeheartedly. For one thing, it has much to show about what is regarded as being outstanding in the field of children’s literature in the USA at the present time. And for another, well, you might just like it.   

Dead End in Norvelt was the 2012 winner of the ALA's Newbery award for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature, and the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction. A trailer introducing the book and interview with author Jack Gantos may be found here.