Genre 5 Historical Fiction

Dead End In Norvelt
 

Bibliography

Gantos, Jack. 2011. Dead end in Norvelt. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 9780374379933

Summary 

Jack Gantos lives in small town Norvelt which was built as part of the New Deal.  His plans for the summer change when he is grounded by his feuding parents and only allowed to leave to type newspaper obituaries for arthritic Miss Volker. In the midst of Jack's many nose bleeds, Hell's Angel’s visits, and his underage driving excursions, the summer is not so bad. Jack continues to believe in the goodness of Miss Volker even after the police consider her as the prime suspect in the many deaths of the original citizens of Norvelt. 

Critical Analysis

The young and old characters are realistic and their attitudes and language seem authentic for this story from the summer of 1962. Norvelt is an actual town in Pennsylvania and the author, Jack Gantos, lived there with its rather eccentric group of citizens. Gantos captures the voice and thoughts of small rural town boys such as when Jack thinks that driving a tractor will bring him a step closer to driving a car. In the 60’s more families lived in rural America and driving the tractor was the lead up to driving the car. Young people may not now be driving a tractor, but they can relate to trying to get on Dad’s good side to be allowed to get behind the wheel.

The plot may ring true for some, but it did not for this writer. True, the setting, the community of Norvelt, the recreations, and the history notes are accurate, but it is was difficult to imagine a young person obeying his father, getting in deep trouble with his mother for it, and not protesting. Jack’s dad makes him cut down the corn which his mom wanted for the poor, but then his mom becomes very angry and his punishment is  harsh. Jack's nose bleeds may be amusing to some, but others, including me, may find it disgusting to continually read abut this.

The themes of the book are universal. Jack (or Jackie) goes through a summer of finding himself. Miss Volker relates the theme of learning from the past when she says, “Don't ever forget your history [...] or any wicked soul can lie to you and get away with it.” 

Some citizens of Norvelt believe strongly in helping the poor and sharing which are concepts the town was built on, while others consider Norvelt an outdated place with outdated thinking. The theme about society and wealth is shown in the following, “I'd rather everyone have the same basic food on their plate" Mom said, "instead of some rich people eating steak and some poor people eating beans." Dad does not share in that thinking. “He said his slice of the American pie is too thin in this town.” Dad thinks the metaphorical piece of pie, wealth, is too small in Norvelt while Jack’s mom believes that there is plenty for all if they share and take care of each other. 

The murder mystery is easy to solve long before it is revealed, so the word "mystery" is a stretch. Many of the original citizens of the town were dying long before they pursued an investigation of foul play and a reader wonders why the citizens and police are not suspicious. Even though the police suspected Mrs. Volker, it was evident who the murderer was and why. Young readers, however, may enjoy solving the mystery before it is revealed. It may be ideal for the younger reader.

Gantos relates and teaches history in unusual ways including through the obituaries and the “History Notes” for the newspaper. The sources for the general type information are not cited, but it does not seem inappropriate in this book due to the way it is woven into the story. The balance is good between fact and fiction, and the history parts adds interest to the story.

Dead End in Norvelt has won many awards and is considered one of the best books Jack Gantos has written. Many will enjoy the humor and story-line. This book is appropriate for grades 5-8.

Review Excerpts

Horn Book starred - "This is a richly layered semi-autobiographical tale, an ode to a time and place, to history and the power of reading."

Kirkus Reviews starred - "[A] characteristically provocative gothic comedy, with sublime undertones."

New York Times Book Review - Jack Gantos has a way with boys, or a good memory for being one."

Library Media Connection – "Gantos fans will find this one of his best works."

Publisher's Weekly - "Memorable in every way."

School Library Journal - "A fast-paced and witty read."

Connections

Research Norvelt, PA.

Connect book to study of the New Deal, the Great Depression, Eleanor Roosevelt, or coal mining.

Guys Read Booklist - Look at "Guys Read" website (http://www.guysread.com/) and read other books listed.

Four-Step-Process such as How would Mr./Mrs. Gantos feel about welfare program (free lunch, food stamps) or health reform? Some of these particular questions may not be appropriate in some settings. One must consider the makeup of the class. The health reform one would be the preferred choice. 

Awards

Newbery Medal winner, 2012

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2012

ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2012

Eyes of the Emperor

Salisbury, Graham. 2005. Eyes of the emperor. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 0307523152

Summary 

Eddie Okubo is a United States Japanese American who was born in Hawaii. At age 16, he lies about his age and joins the military. Then Pearl Harbor is bombed and he and his Japanese friends begin a long, sad, journey of being in the United States Army, but distrusted because of their race. They spend time in an internment camp in Wisconsin before being sent to Cat Island, Mississippi to be the bait for dogs which are being trained to hunt enemy Japanese by their scent. 

Critical Analysis

Authentic beyond imagination, Salisbury takes readers to a very troubling time in United States history. While Japanese internment is often remembered, this book humanizes the experiences of a teenage Japanese-American boy. Readers feel the emotions of Eddy and his Japanese-American friends as they are treated as enemies, the “Japs.” The times, people, values, and language are authentic to this time in history, and the historical facts are woven into the story in such a way that our emotions are spent as we live through Eddy’s experiences.

It is so very believable as we understand Eddy’s loyalty to the United States, but feel his pain when he is not trusted by citizens not the government of the same country. All of the characters are compelling and the emotions we feel tears at our heart strings. Eddy and his friends loyally want to serve their country, but instead are used as bait to train the dogs because the United States government, including the president, believe the scent of a Japanese person is different. Eddy cannot befriend the dogs nor stay on the island at night because he is the enemy to the dogs – and the United States military. The travesty of life for the young Japanese-Americans is explained in the words of Eddy’s friend, Cobra, “To them we all look like Hirohito. They see us, they see the guys in those planes dropping bombs on them. We got the eyes of the Emperor. They scared of us. Scared."  Salisbury has done his research to accurately portray attitudes and experiences during the 1940’s.

The setting is vividly described as seen through Eddy's words before he enlisted. “Pop's shop was right on the water, and just as I walked outside, a Japanese destroyer was heading out of Honolulu Harbor, passing by so close I could hit it with a slingshot.” Later, Eddy and his friends are taken to Cat Island, Mississippi, and the descriptions are vivid and accurate thanks to the extensive research of Salisbury who even went to the island with some of the Japanese-American men accompanying him.

This book examines prejudice and racism. At one point Lieutenant Sweet tells them, “You Japs look cross-eyed at anything but those trenches and you’ll be taking up where they left off.” Sadly, the book accurately portrays the mentality of people at that time, as even President Roosevelt approved the secret mission on Cat Island. Every person deserves to be treated with respect is a theme for all times, and especially for the youth of today.

The voice of Eddy and his friends is so real, readers feel as if they are one of the guys. Readers also gain an understanding of Pop who still feels loyal to his homeland of Japan. Even though he was opposed to Eddy joining the army, he tells him, “No make shame for this family. You go. Fight for your country. Die, even, but die with honor.” All of the characters' emotions and struggles speak to the heart and leave readers aching throughout this World War II ordeal which is giving giving a voice to teen Japanese-American boys.

Salisbury interviewed eight of the men who were involved. He thoroughly researched researched the situations and experiences such as what occurred during his visit to Cat Island, Mississippi. The names of the “Boys of Company B” who served on Cat Island during World War II are given in a special section of the book. A glossary is found at the back of the book for the Japanese, Hawaiian, and Hawaiian Pidgin English words used.

This is a highly recommended book which allows readers to see history through the eyes of someone their own age, but it is a part of American history we are not so proud of. The theme of this book is relevant and meaningful to today’s readers. It is written for teens and young adults. It is one of those books a person finishes and says, "Everyone should read this book."

Review Excerpts

Horn Book – “Eddy's lean, first-person narrative--based on actual events--captures his pride, stoicism, and loyalty to a country that treats him with abject prejudice.”

Publisher’s Weekly – “ . . . valuable and gripping addition to the canon of WW II historical fiction from a perspective young readers rarely see.”

School Library Journal - "A story with huge implications for observers of current events."

VOYA - "The action will keep readers turning pages. The prejudice that Eddie encounters is realistically portrayed. Scenes describing Eddy hiding in the swamp waiting for dogs to locate and attack him are vivid." 

Connections

Study the history of Hawaii including the immigrants who came to the islands and the interactions with native Hawaiians.
Create a presentation about Hawaii becoming a state.

Study and discuss internment of Japanese Americans. Read other books and articles on this subject. 

Study the Japanese-American military groups including 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most awarded company in U.S. military history. What were their roles? 

Students consider this same mindset and judgement toward Middle Easterners and Arab Americans since 9/11. They can consider prejudice against any people group based on outward appearance. 

Study the Cat Islands and surrounding Mississippi areas and what happened to them after Hurricane Katrina. 

Debate animal cruelty and consider animals being used for science, medicine, or as in this book, military.

Awards: 

2005 Best Books of the Year, Kirkus Reviews

2005 Parent’s Choice Silver Honor Award

2006 Notable Social Studies, Trade Books for Young People

2006-2007 Texas Tayshas High School Reading List

2006 ALA Best Books for Young Adults

2006 ALA Notable Book

2006 New York Public Library Best Books for the Teen Age

2006 Capitol Choices, Noteworthy Books for Children 

2006 PEN USA Literary Award (finalist) 

Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction Books for Youth 2005-2006

Personally, one of my all time favorite books.

Between Shades of Gray

Bibliography

Sepetys, Ruta. 2011. Between shades of gray. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399254123

Summary

Fifteen year old aspiring artist, Lina, and her brother and mother are at home one evening in 1941 when the Soviet police enter their Lithuanian home and demand that they gather their belongings to leave in twenty minutes. Thus begins their brutal journey battling starvation, disease, freezing temperatures, and the cruel Soviet guards which culminates in a Siberian labor camp during Stalin’s reign of terror. Lina draws and leaves messages and maps which she hopes will reach her father’s prison camp and one day bring their family together again.

Critical Analysis

Between Shades of Gray is a gripping novel which reveals the little known tragedies inflicted upon the Lithuanians during World War II. Even though the novel is fiction, the experiences and the characters seem very real due to the in-depth study of Sepetys. Readers feel the physical and emotional pain of Lina and the other characters. A guard terrorizes her while she is digging a hole and she recalls it, “If I sat up, I’d be shot. If I didn't sit up, I’d be buried alive.” Her ever optimistic mother tells her afterward, “It’s okay, darling. He’s just trying to scare us.” Lina develops feelings for a fellow prisoner, but feels betrayed when she believes he and his mother are traitors. She longs to be reunited with her father. “I imagined him trudging through the falling snow toward Altai, arriving in time for Christmas with my handkerchief in his breast pocket. Hurry, Papa, I urged. Please hurry.” Teens will understand and identify with longing for a missing parent and the other emotions involved in this coming of age story 

Stalin’s contributions to the atrocities of World War II are not as well known as Hitler’s, but Sepetys shares an accurate and heart wrenching story of the people of the Baltic states where an estimated more than 20 million were killed. Lina wonders, “Had the Soviets managed to keep the deportations a secret from the rest of the world? . . . Would anyone think to look for us in the Siberian Arctic?” The realistic plot provides lessons on many levels which will not be forgotten.

The descriptions of the settings are explicit as Lina is introduced in the peace and safety of her home only to be hauled off in a cattle car. Readers learn of Lina and her fellow prisoners’ works and moves until they, too, feel the chill of the Siberian labor camp. “It was mid-December. Winter had us in its jaws. . . We wrapped ourselves in every piece of clothing and rags we could find.”

Lina’s will to survive is key to this story. The desire to see her father is part of the driving force that keeps her going. Lina's mother provides the impetus and example to stay positive in the midst of very tough situations. Sepetys expertly weaves flashbacks into the telling of Lina's story as readers consider oppression and genocide of a people group they know little of. Sepetys gives authentic voice to the people of Lithuania and the Baltic region who went through such horrible experiences during Stalin’s reign. The situation is clearly that of Stalin’s terror, but the atrocity of being “bullied” whether by a dictator or a schoolmate resonates in the heart of all. This story-line enables readers to think deeply about a theme which never goes away. 

Sepetys was inspired by her family’s experiences. Her grandfather, like many others, did not speak about the times as he lived in fear of the KGB, formerly known as the NKVD. Sepetys took two trips to Lithuania as she researched this book. She spoke with survivors, their families, psychologists, and government officials, and was even locked in a Soviet prison to investigate this story. She includes acknowledgements to her Lithuanian helpers. Throughout the book, the reader consults the two double page maps showing the distance traveled and the timeline of those travels. This book is historical fiction at its best which left this reader not just crying, but sobbing at the realities of our world’s history.

Review Excerpts

Booklist, starred - "An important book that deserves the widest possible readership."

Horn Book - "Sepetys creates complicated characters in her story of deprivation and suffering."

Kirkus Review, starred - "Sepetys’ flowing prose gently carries readers through the crushing tragedy of this tale that needs telling."

Library Media Connections - "This story will stay with the reader long after the book has been finished, and this novel should be on every high school shelf."

Publisher’s Weekly, starred- "A harrowing page-turner, made all the more so for its basis in historical fact, the novel illuminates the persecution suffered by Stalin's victims (over 20 million were killed), while presenting memorable characters who retain their will to survive even after a decade in exile."

School Library Journal - "This is a gripping story that gives young people a window into a shameful, but likely unfamiliar history."

The Washington Post - "[Sepetys's] prose is restrained and powerful…Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both."

Connections

Compare to situation of Jewish people during Hitler’s time.

Discuss history recorded by young people whether through drawing or writing. (Compare to Diary of Anne Frank.)

Study Stalin’s cleansing of Baltic region. Why is so little of this part of history known by most people?

Use a Web 2.0 to create a presentation on Siberia or the Baltic states.

Discuss use of flashbacks. Students write a story with three flashbacks.

Awards

ALA-Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2012

Tayshas Reading List, 2012

William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist, 2012

New York Times Best Seller