By: E. L. Konigsburg Publisher: Aladdin Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Aladdin Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 176 Publication Date: February 01, 1998 Reading Level: Ages 9-12
•Noah, who quite by accident was best man at the wedding of Ethan's grandmother and Nadia's grandfather
•Nadia, a hybrid with a halo of red hair, a dog that's a genius, and a fondness for baby turtles
•Ethan, the silent second son of one of Epiphany's oldest families, who discovers he likes halos
•Julian, the strangest person on the school bus, who starts everything by inviting the others to a tea party
How did Mrs. Olinski, returning to teaching ten years after being paralyzed in an automobile accident, choose these four to be her sixth-grade Academic Bowl team? And how did this unlikely foursome become even unlikelier champions, in far more than just the state middle school competition? The View From Saturday is a rich and rewarding journey that answers these questions and raises many more.
Amazon.com: A powerhouse sixth-grade Academic Bowl team from Epiphany Middle School; the art of calligraphy; the retirees of Century Village, Florida; a genius dog named Ginger; and a holiday production of "Annie" all figure heavily in the latest book by E. L. Konigsburg, who has produced a Newbery Medal-winning children's tale to rival her classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which won the Newbery Medal almost 30 years ago. The new book centers around a group of four brilliant, shy 12-year-olds and the tea party they have each Saturday morning. Konigsburg's wacky erudition and her knack for offbeat characters make this a funny and endearing story of friendship.
Interesting I think that Konigsburg writes in an intelligent way, considering the age groups that will be reading the book and how they're going to interpret the material. Telling the story of a sixth grade academic team, and how they can pull together to become friends, 'The View From Saturday' is a feel good novel that everyone who loves friendship and a learning experience should read.
A Waste of Time I think the book The View from Saturday was a waste of time for the writer. The theme was not so interesting and the characters had no personality. It is not a book I recommend to people.
This book was confusing and did not explain the story so well. On every other page there was a new scene. In the book the author did not explain when the characters went to the academic bowls. Some of the characters did not have a personality although Juilan was my favorite because of his differences. He is different because on the first day of school he wore knee socks and shorts and to the other characters and school that was weird. Another part I thought was a little strange was the theme. If you drink tea with your friends your personality will change.
The book is not worth reading.
Cloudy view indeed! I was going to write a review, but Sara Hathaway has spared me the time it would take in her "Cloudy View" July 16, 2007 review. I am a grandmother in the process of reading through Newbery winners (a retired elementary teacher, mother of 5, + have 13 grands) and so far am finding it rather tedious and disappointing (See my review for Criss Cross). "View" seemed to promise more, but it just never delivered and so I was disappointed when I got to the end.
Great Classroom Teaching Novel! I have taught this in my classroom every year since 2000! I absolutely love it. I've used it in 6th grade and currently in 5th grade. The book easily lends itself to teaching about point of view and a host of other reading skills. Point of view is the skill I think the kids enjoy the most when using this book because each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character. The theme is friendship and genre is realistic fiction in a modern setting. I cannot recommend this book enough! It will always be one of my favorite teaching novels!
Newbery Medal Haloes Over This Book Ever think what must be going through the minds of trivia contestants? Behind every answer they provide there is a story behind it.
Konigsburg's logical structure for this story is woven like a fine handmade carpet with beautiful patterns and plot knots that make this book as a whole greater than the sum of its characters.
In the end, it's all about the tea party on Saturdays--always at four o'clock in the afternoon.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
