The Wheel on the School

This read aloud, published in 1954, took us forever to get through -- partly because we've been so busy, and party because it started so slow. I'm so glad we stuck with it, though, because we loved it. If it started slow, it picked up in a big way about halfway through, with breathless action! This is a charming portrait of a bygone era -- a tiny fishing village in Holland, where the six school-aged children attend the one-room school in their wooden shoes, and their fishermen fathers spend long weeks at sea. Young Lina is distracted from her studies because her aunt told her of storks who come every year to nest on her town's roofs. Lina wonders why storks never come to Shora, and her teacher challenges the children to find out. They show more learn, and decide to bring them back. The problem: the steep roofs of Shora are not hospitable to storks, and similar towns solve the problem by putting wagon wheels on their roofs. Thus begins a mission to find a wheel for their school's roof -- an unlikely and improbable task. The result, however, unites the tiny community like never before. This is a very moving read and terrific storytelling. I'm so glad we stuck with it! show less

My first read of a book by this author, and it's a winner. In a small Netherlands fishing village the schoolteacher inspires the students to find out why there are no storks nesting on the town's roofs, and what follows is a delightful tale of what can happen when people are pushed out of their comfortable ruts.

You might not want to count this children's book as a 'real' book, or as a book that fits a challenge for "strong women', as the 'Strong Woman' here is a little girl who shares space in the adventures with mostly boys and men. But Lina is an amazing girl and will surely grow up to be a matriarch of strong women. Not only does she long to participate in the boys' outdoor games, but she is the inspiration for the big school project of luring the storks back to the village, and when something needs to happen, she's usually the one who makes it so.

This book was Newbery Medal winner of 1955, written in America by an American author who remembered his Dutch childhood and brought the Netherlands to life for generations of readers.

I had many show more opportunities to read this as a child but never did. I love it now, but tbh I think my instincts then were right and that I would not have appreciated it when I was a child. Now I love the humor, the environmental message, the fondness for the Dutch countryside and culture, the insights into the lives of children... and those of adults, too... well, really, there is so much to love about DeJong's work. Some of it is too subtle for most young readers... but that just means that his books have a very good 're-read value' imo. show less

You can't judge a book by its cover. You can't always judge a book by its synopsis either.
Synopsis: A group of six school children in Holland at some unspecified time in the past, decide they need to put a wagon wheel on the roof of their school so migrating storks will have a place to nest, and will do so in their town, bringing good luck. The entire book is pretty much the story of the kids, and adults that they drag into their scheme, trying to first find a spare wagon wheel, then get it to the school, get it mounted on the roof, and then attract storks. And yet, the book was fun, endearing, and occasionally exciting.
There are no bad guys. A few of the children are benignly naughty, as all children are from time to time. A few of the show more adults are cranky or short-tempered, as all adults are from time to time, but you always know everyone is good. Whereas most YA books seem to be about family, friendship, or both, this book is more about community and cooperation. What can happen when everyone works together towards a common goal.
It was the 1955 Newbery winner, and I have to wonder if it seemed old fashioned even then. It does now, but in a good way. And although set in Holland, this is not one of those Newbery winners that seem primarily trying to teach another country's life and culture to American children. The story is about things all children will relate to.
I'm not sure who today's audience would be. It seems rather long to engage many 3rd or 4th graders, but they would probably enjoy it the most. Today's middle schooler would probably find it rather naively sweet and therefore something to scoff at. But this 52 year old enjoyed it. show less

I had decided, at one point in time, that reading every Newbery Award Winning book was something I wanted to persue. The sad story was that I didn't have any books with the awarded title in my house. Well, I didn't have any that I had not yet read. While searching every book shelf in the house,(and we have many) I came across The Wheel on the School. The first thing that caught my eye was the cover which reminded me of something from back in my childhood. At that time I couldn't figure it out but I decided that since it was an award winning book and on my list, I should start with it anyways and figure out what was bothering me later. The book starts off slow but then again, does it? Looking back I would have to say no, it doesn't, it show more just starts off...differently.

Differently like the way A Tale of Two Cities starts out differently. Differently like the way Hamlet starts out differently. I guess the right way to say it would be to say that it is different, different due to the fact that the writing style has an old story telling feel to it.

And that is when it hit me...

The Wheel on the School is just that, a story tellers book, not one which is made to make a profit but one that is written just for the sake of telling a story. I suppose it lies in the style of writing or the tone and voice. Whichever it is,I was instantly reminded of Caddie Wood awn, Strawberry Girl and Miracle on Maple Hill. All three are Newbery Award Winners, all written about girls who ask questions and go into action and all three are written by story tellers, not authors. Some may say that there isn't much of a difference but there is, one writes a story for one to read to themselves and the other writes a story that is meant to be read--aloud. I remember the other three stories vividly. The cover of each book was old and ancient looking and I didn't think at all that I would care to read them. In fact, if it had not been for the school reading contest I would have put them all back. But, I didn't and I'm happy for that because when I put them down, each one of them, I sat back and reflected on each book. I read them all in elementary school so I was no more than 11 during this time of reflection but still, I did my thinking on what I had just read and in the end I decided that yes, I would add all three of these books into my favorite books of all time.

And here I am, more than 20 years later, adding another to that list of books. What amazed me about this book was the fact that it was able to take a simple problem and turn it into something adventurous. One child's question became an adventure for a whole school and it pulled together an entire community. All of this happens without being preachy and forced. In fact, that is the good part of a good story and in this one, you walk away not only learning something but also yearning for something.

I walked away learning that sometimes a simple question has a simple answer and yet it can all be so wonderful. And, in the end I found myself yearning for something simple in return; simple reading, simple writing, simple story telling and maybe, just a simple life with a bit of adventure in it, just for fun.

I feel that this book is something worth reading, not just for yourself but for others. Pick it up, read it to your children, grandchildren, niece and nephews, cousins and whom ever comes your way. I think you will find the joy in this book by becoming the storyteller. show less

This book is lovely. It teaches about the value of each human life, young or old, also about determination, hope and initiative. All this without preaching a moral. Funny, exciting and suspenseful. A great family read-aloud book.

This is an amazing book. It tells the story of a group of schoolchildren in rural Holland who work together to bring the storks back to their town. The plot sounds somewhat dry, but the story is masterfully told, the dialogue and characters are excellent. Because it won't seem appealing at first to a typical child, I recommend this book as a read aloud for nearly any elementary age. My three children (ages 9, 7, and 5) have enjoyed this book immensely. They have laughed and cried as I read. Well deserving of the Newbery Medal.