This novel is set in 1962 and based on Gantos’s own early days in his hometown of Norvelt, PA, a government-created town in the days of the Great Depression. The main character is also named “Jack Gantos.” For the first 100 pages or so, this is a funny book about a kid obsessed with history, baseball, and his own frequent nosebleeds and with his relationships with his odd father and his elderly neighbor, Miss Voelker. Miss Voelker is a great character -- retired nurse, historian, obituary writer, and one of the last of the original residents of Norvelt.

Then it all falls apart. A Hell's Angels gang and an artificial and awkward murder subplot hijack the last few chapters. They don't fit. They are not funny enough for entertainment; but the author also doesn’t take them seriously enough to lend weight to them. One half of a great book only results in a mediocre whole.

This quirky novel follows Jack who is grounded for the summer of 1962. Filled with crazy adventures involving biker gangs, bloody noses, mysterious deaths, and many interesting obituaries, this book is sure to capture the adventurous spirit of any young reader who happens to be stuck inside for the summer.

For a book about a failing town, dying people, and other morbid topics, Dead End in Norvelt is surprisingly hilarious. Miss Volker's introductory scene, involving Jack thinking that she is melting the skin off her hands, is one of the funniest passages I have read all year.

This would be a great book for a Tween Book Club.

This book is filled with history, humor, and heartache. I felt for Jack through the entire story and desperately wanted to meet Miss Volker, his companion for the summer. The WWII and post WWII story-line sucked me in from the get go. Excited to read From Norvelt to Nowhere!

Liked the book, it was funny, I laughed out loud!

This book is awesome! It is a historic story with added humor. It was very funny and l I would recommend it to anyone.

It’s not an easy book, but it does make for a compelling story, in spite of the protagonist’s limited movements. I walked into this title looking for an explanation of what makes Jack Gantos tick. I never found my answer. Instead, I found a book I can read and enjoy and recommend ad nauseum. And as trades go, that one sounds like a good deal to me.

This was a really funny book. Jack Gantos (the story is a combination of real experiences and fiction) gets grounded for "life" (the summer) for several things. (including pulling the trigger on a rifle he didn't know was armed, and wasn't supposed to touch)
he gets involved in the local newspaper scribing obituaries, and his summer gets interesting from there. this is probably because its semi-nonfiction, but he dosent follow up some plotlines. (but life is like that, not all plotlines get followed)
Funny book.

I enjoyed this Newbery winner though not as much as past winners. It was different, had interesting characters, great black humour but some events were odd - for example, the Hell's Angels coming to town and burning down houses. I don't know where it fit in the story.