Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Book 12: Dead End in Norvelt

Dead End in Novelt by Jack Gantos

It's 1962 and Jack doesn't have a care in the world as summer vacation begins in his little town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania--well, except the fact that his nose gushes blood every time he gets excited, worried, or upset.  But then his parents ground him and he's stuck at home.  His only escape is to help Miss Volker, an elderly woman with arthritis who needs a scribe while she dictates an obituary for the most recent Norvelt death.  For being grounded, his summer is a busy one.  Between digging a fake bomb shelter for his father who swears the town is full of "Commies" and going to the funeral home to see the latest casualty (the town's mortician is his best friend Bunny's father), there is little time left to dodge the Hell's Angels who have invaded Norvelt or to solve a mystery that rocks the little town.  Through it all, Jack learns the role of history in his own life--and even manages to have a few less nosebleeds.          

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