
Dead End in Norvelt
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Narrated by:
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Jack Gantos
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By:
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Jack Gantos
About this listen
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.
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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
What listeners say about Dead End in Norvelt
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- Matt & Jackie
- 07-17-18
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
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- choi
- 12-10-15
I love it!!!!!!!!!!
This story is way awesome! It is so hilarious and funny. Everyone please read it!!!!!
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1 person found this helpful
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- brett kronenberger
- 08-08-12
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
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- Golden
- 06-04-12
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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1 person found this helpful
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- Liam matthews
- 02-27-19
yeet
it was relly yeet and good and good yeet yeet gyccuie yyet uyuumie esfsdfsdfs d fdf
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- Margaret Collier
- 03-01-23
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.
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- colleen
- 03-21-12
credit worthy
Original, entertaining and funny. Norvelt is an amusing story that could be recommended to anyone at any age.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Judy Lou Beckman
- 02-03-13
Read a young adult book with excellent writiing
Where does Dead End in Norvelt rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
The chraacters are charming. Imaginie the protagonist beiing grounded for the whole summer except when he gos to help an elderly lady who writes obits. She is a fabulous writer, we shoul all have such a gifted writer. She iincludes significent history among her writings, historical facts you will enjoy remembering and surprised you'd forgotten. Norvlt is a real place and you ned to know what it means.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Jack and Miss Volker--together they make the story roll.
What about Jack Gantos’s performance did you like?
He has a gift for humor and plays on words. You won't put this book down or begin to think about how small towns begin to meet their demise.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
No film for this book
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3 people found this helpful
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- Sheila D. Despain
- 06-28-15
Great story for YA and adults
I enjoyed the history and the humor in this book. I think young boys would especially enjoy it.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Hope J.
- 03-07-19
Best book ive listed to so far, its exiting!
It's a nice long book, its very fun and after every chapter you want to read more. The chapter always end at a cliffhanger so you want to keep reading. The Nairriater is very good and it just so happens to be the author. The voice for it is verry compelling and has alot of emotion to the words. The narration allows you to understand what is happening by the way it is told. The story is great for boys and girls around the age of 10-12 Boys will most likely enjoy it more. For girls it has alot of war stuff but overall its pretty good for both boys and girls. I love how it has verry funny parts in the book. And also some parts that who interest most readers. the story overall is a great to listen to, i couldn't stop listening once I started. This is a great book and recommend it to everyone.
Praise to,
Jack Gantos
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