Dead End in Norvelt

By: Jack Gantos

Narrated by: Jack Gantos

Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Dead End in Norvelt is the winner of the 2012 Newbery Medal for the year's best contribution to children's literature and the Scott O'Dell 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 "grounded for life" by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. But plenty of excitement (and shocks) are coming Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual chore—typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launched on a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hells Angels . . . and possibly murder.

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

©2011 Jack Gantos (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Looking for a great audiobook for boys? This is it. Further blurring the line between fact and fiction in this autobiographical novel, author Jack Gantos narrates himself, sharing the 1962 summer adventures of his eponymous hero as he navigates adolescence and a dying town caught between two eras…The story is a little odd and a lot funny. Gantos's delivery is dry and wry, and even when characters don't get distinctive voices, the action and emotion are utterly clear. A gem.” —AudioFile Magazine

“Gantos captures the voice of a middle-school boy in a relatable way, with plenty of self-consciousness and humor, and he infuses the storyline with a sense of mystery, danger, and adventure…This is an engaging story that makes for compelling listening.” —Parents Choice Gold Award

“Gantos narrates this laugh-out-loud semi-autobiographical tale, providing a pitch-perfect rendition of Jack's sarcasm, exaggeration, and whining.” —School Library Journal

it was a good book

it was a really good book I got a little confused on some parts but it was still a great book

I love it!!!!!!!!!!

This story is way awesome! It is so hilarious and funny. Everyone please read it!!!!!

Great book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I really enjoyed this book.

What did you like best about this story?

Cool kid going through high stress times

Have you listened to any of Jack Gantos’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

As good as the others

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Made me cry and laugh

A fun family read (listen)

If you could sum up Dead End in Norvelt in three words, what would they be?

funny, exciting, informing

What other book might you compare Dead End in Norvelt to and why?

The Miracle of Miss Willie

Which scene was your favorite?

When Jack first goes to Mrs. Norvelts house and it look like she is melting her hands in a big pot. He ends up past out on the floor. My six year old was so enchanted and worried about what the crazy old lady was doing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The ending when he figures out the purpose of History.

Any additional comments?

I loved how he entwined the history and made it relevant. My children and I could not get enough. We have started playing our favorite chapters over again and my 6 year old is acting out his favorite parts.

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Love it so much is there a third?

Perfect in every way awesome book the story is well written and kept me hooked the entire time.

Loved every minute of it.

Would you listen to Dead End in Norvelt again? Why?

Every member of my family enjoyed listening to Dead End In Norvelt. Gantos tells a great story.

A dead end town, with a 5 star story! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This was a delightful Newbery winner. A story full of history and all the quirky people of a small, dead end town... Norvelt. Loved it! Will be posting a full review on my blog as I work toward reading all of the Newbery Winners.
Www.colecampfireblog.com

Excellent

THis is a brilliant audio book. Please more of this!! Was performed well. Brilliant story and loads of fun

Great book! Laugh out loud funny!

What did you love best about Dead End in Norvelt?

I liked the humor Jack Gantos infused in the story. The book of is full of quirky characters we have all encountered in our own lives, and the honest perspective of the main character makes the situations he finds himself in all the more enjoyable to read. It is always good for grown ups to remember how kids often view them and kids will empathize with Jack's difficulty in figuring out the adults (and kids) in his life.