Newbery Medal Winner
Dead End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos
Summary
Jack Gantos casts a fictional version of himself as a boy grounded for the summer in the dwindling town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, in 1962. Sent to help an elderly neighbor write obituaries, Jack stumbles into local history, mysterious deaths, and the decline of his Depression era community. The book mixes broad comedy, nosebleeds, and real history into a warm and offbeat coming of age story.
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Historical Context & Significance
The town of Norvelt is real and was named for Eleanor Roosevelt, who helped found it as a New Deal community.