A review by triscuit807
Onion John by Joseph Krumgold, Symeon Shimin

3.0

3 stars. This book totally frustrated me. The crux of the plot is the town eccentric, an immigrant (called Onion John because of the onions that form much of his diet) who lives in a shack and gets much of what he needs from the town dump and the rest from handouts. OJ speaks some language that isn't English, but he does understand English to a degree. He and Andy become friends somewhat by accident. Andy realizes he does understand OJ and he has a wonderful time learning the man's ways man of which are based in folklore (or superstitious nonsense according to Andy's father). Andy and his father find themselves at contretemps and it all comes to a head when the father's Rotary adopts OJ as a project and decide to make him "proper". In the end it doesn't go well. It's supposed to be about a boy, Andy Rusch, Jr., growing up - this is why the book won the Newbery. But for me, it was more Andy setting aside boyhood things (a la Puff the Magic Dragon) with all the inherent sadness that entail. Also how OJ is treated and what happens to him is truly tragic. I read this for my Reading Challenge (52 wks "character frustrates you" and Popsugar "immigrant character") and my Newbery Challenge (Medal 1960).