The View From Saturday
E.L. Konigsburg
Reading Level: 5.9
Interest Level: Middle Grades
1997 Newbery Medal Winner
Library Binding
ISBN: 068980993X, Published by Atheneum
Paperback
ISBN: 0689817215, Published by Scott Foresman (Pearson K-12), 163 pages.
Audio Cassette
ISBN: 0807204692, Published by Bantam Books-Audio, unabridged.
This is a book of surprises....it appears to be a novel, but it is actually a set of short stories. Or maybe it seems to be a set of stories, but it is really a novel.
It seems to be a story about four kids on an Academic Bowl team, but then it isn't really about that either. This book is about rescuing sea turtles, Alice in Wonderland, calligraphy, tea parties and wedding cake disasters.
This book is really about connection, friendship, family, loss, love, spirit, laughter, prejudice and perseverance; well, it's about life and the small cares and challenges that we all face. The small cares and challenges that only seem small...like a thread, but are crucial to the weaving of the whole.
I don't quite know how to explain what this book is about or why it is worth reading, but it is worth reading. Twice.
This book will probably be most enjoyable for children over the age of 10 or so.
Barbara Handley
Related Resources
Additional ORL titles by E.L. Konigsburg
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Additional Resources
A Guide for Using The View from Saturday in the Classroom Literature Guide: The View from Saturday (Grades 4-8)Off-Site Links to Related Topics
E. L. KonigsburgE. L. Konigsburg - Teacher Resource File
The View From Saturday - Supplemental Unit
The View From Saturday Supplemental Unit
Study Questions (scroll down)