About This Book
In this Newbery Medal-winning autobiographical novel, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos finds himself grounded for the entire summer of 1962 in his historic hometown of Norvelt, Pennsylvania. His punishment leads to a most unusual chore: assisting his eccentric elderly neighbor, Miss Volker, in writing obituaries for the local paper. As Jack types, he uncovers a strange pattern of deaths among the town's original residents, leading him into a quirky mystery involving molten wax, Girl Scout cookies, and a dash of local history. The book blends laugh-out-loud humor with poignant reflections on aging, community, and the importance of remembering history, making it a rich read for middle graders.
In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old 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 bloody noses.
Concepts
Discussion Prompts
1
What did Jack learn about history from Miss Volker? How did these lessons connect to what was happening in Norvelt?
2
How did Jack's relationship with Miss Volker change throughout the summer? What did they learn from each other?
3
The book is described as 'achingly funny.' What parts made you laugh the most? What kind of humor does Jack Gantos use?
4
What does the book say about community and neighborliness? How did the town of Norvelt embody these values, or sometimes fail to?
5
How did Jack grow and change during his summer of being grounded? What did he learn about himself and the world?
6
The book deals with death in a unique way. How did Jack and Miss Volker approach the topic, and what did you think about their perspective?
External Reviews
Awards
1 award
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