You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have seldom read a story so convincingly told in the voice of a child! This Newbery winner from 1955 tells a story of project based learning and multigenerational relationships before those were buzz words. In a small fishing village in Holland, six students show an interest in storks. Their teacher, (described by another adult as ‘…he doesn’t just fool around with the woods. He goes and does things.’ ) encourages them to wonder about storks. This leads each child ( 12 yr old) on an individual adventure on which they interact in new ways with their neighbors. Lovely story and it stands the test of time.
Great story, love how the children came to know and appreciate the older people in their town. Didn't always love the writing style, but it wasn't too bad to take away enjoyment of the story.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is outdated, I doubt many middle school readers would complete this book.
This was a favorite book from my childhood, and I'm happy to have enjoyed it so much again as an adult. My ten-year-old son enjoyed it as a read-aloud, too, though it took some coaxing to get him to stick with it at first.
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
All I can say is 1955 must have been a lackluster year for the Newbery (and taking a look at the other nominees seems to confirm this). As an adult reader, this was a chore to read, so I can't imagine a young reader (whether in the 1950s or 2020s) enjoying it today. I liked the character of Janus the best. He had the unapproachable quality of the adults in a book like Pollyanna, those characters who are initially feared but eventually befriended by the children. Otherwise, the main conceit of this book - luring storks back to the village - was just not that interesting.
Read-aloud to my kid. My 9-year-old liked it and gave it 4.5 stars; my 7yo got tired of it midway and opted out.
Personally, I enjoyed this sweet story of a village working together for a common goal and for an outcast to rejoin the fold.
At 15 chapters, each was about 20-30 minutes to read. Small sketch illustrations appear at times.
Personally, I enjoyed this sweet story of a village working together for a common goal and for an outcast to rejoin the fold.
At 15 chapters, each was about 20-30 minutes to read. Small sketch illustrations appear at times.
Of all the books I've read aloud to my kids (nearly 300 over 15 years of homeschooling), The Wheel on the School makes its way into my memory repeatedly.