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59th out of 91 books
—
204 voters
Onion John
The story of a friendship between a 12-year-old boy and an immigrant handyman, almost wrecked by the good intentions of the townspeople.
Paperback, 248 pages
Published
April 4th 1984
by HarperCollins
(first published January 1st 1959)
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“Alchemy in New Jersey?”
Twelve-year-old Andy Rusch grew up in a small town named Serenity, working part time in his father’s hardware store, but this particular fall proves anything but serene for him. In addition to a few buddies his own age he has added a most unusual, adult friend, who quietly grows in personal influence on the impressionable youth. Eventually Andy feels the strain and frustration of this emotional tug-of-war; he writhes under the unfair burden of having to choose to honor h...more
Twelve-year-old Andy Rusch grew up in a small town named Serenity, working part time in his father’s hardware store, but this particular fall proves anything but serene for him. In addition to a few buddies his own age he has added a most unusual, adult friend, who quietly grows in personal influence on the impressionable youth. Eventually Andy feels the strain and frustration of this emotional tug-of-war; he writhes under the unfair burden of having to choose to honor h...more
I didn't like this book, then I did. The book drug on too long, then it was over too quickly. I felt no connection to the characters, then I cried and rejoiced for them.
Onion John was a mere 250 pages yet took me the better part of a week to read. Why? Well, the first 150 pages or so are simply boring. Even by adult standards. There is excellent character development, the plot is well laid, and the setting is impeccably described. The book is quite good, I just didn't like it.
Then the story fina...more
Onion John was a mere 250 pages yet took me the better part of a week to read. Why? Well, the first 150 pages or so are simply boring. Even by adult standards. There is excellent character development, the plot is well laid, and the setting is impeccably described. The book is quite good, I just didn't like it.
Then the story fina...more
Synopsis: Andy Rusch is a boy happily growing up in the small town of Serenity, New Jersey. While playing in a championship baseball game, he strikes up a conversation with Onion John as he looks for things to salvage in the town's landfill. Andy and Onion John become friends as Andy becomes the only one who can understand Onion John. After Andy introduces Onion John to his father, his father takes it upon himself to have the Rotary Club build Onion John a new house, because the one the Onion Jo...more
Synopsis: Andy Rusch is a boy happily growing up in the small town of Serenity, New Jersey. While playing in a championship baseball game, he strikes up a conversation with Onion John as he looks for things to salvage in the town's landfill. Andy and Onion John become friends as Andy becomes the only one who can understand Onion John. After Andy introduces Onion John to his father, his father takes it upon himself to have the Rotary Club build Onion John a new house, because the one the Onion Jo...more
And speaking of Newbery Award winners, here is 1960's. Being a compulsive list maker, I'm proud to report that I have now read 42 of the past 77 award winners, and despite some recent doubts in the press about the Newbery, I have found that this project an excellent avenue to get a feel for children's literature. 'Onion John' is an extraordinary book, ostensibly about twelve-year-old Andy Rusch's friendship with the town eccentric and how that helps Andy and his father to work out the problems f...more
In my quest to read all of the Newbery Award winners, I can honestly say that Onion John is not one of my favorites. On the other hand, it gave me insight on the question of "does the world need people who don't quite fit in?"
Onion John is a man who does things his own way. John has lived in Serenity, New Jersey, for many years, scavenging to furnish his home, working a little to buy food and supplies. Then he needs a new hinge for his door and suddenly everyone wants to change Onion John, from...more
Onion John is a man who does things his own way. John has lived in Serenity, New Jersey, for many years, scavenging to furnish his home, working a little to buy food and supplies. Then he needs a new hinge for his door and suddenly everyone wants to change Onion John, from...more
Have you ever noticed that children seem to be oblivious to prejudice because of their youth and naivete? This was the case with Andy Rusch, the son of a prominent man in small town Serenity. Andy is the only person in town who was able to befriend the town vagrant and crazy person "Onion John." With focus and determination, Andy learns John's "language" and worships him as the ultimate role model. He even goes so far as to convince the town to build John a "proper" house.
As disaster strikes and...more
As disaster strikes and...more
Mar 10, 2013
Antof9
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2013-read,
fathers,
immigrants,
forgettable,
americana,
kidlit,
liberry,
read-the-newberys,
stationary-bike,
unfulfilling
It was ok - just ok. I loved the conversation between Andy and his father at the end, which is what earned it a third star. Otherwise, it was just kind of "meh". I think part of my meh came from the fact that I wanted to know where the title character was at the end of the book. That's about all. Have.
Update: since this book signaled the first time an author won the Newbery award twice, I was very tempted to go back and read my review on "And Now Miguel," but I didn't want that to color my opini...more
Update: since this book signaled the first time an author won the Newbery award twice, I was very tempted to go back and read my review on "And Now Miguel," but I didn't want that to color my opini...more
Onion John is Andy’s best friend, but Onion John is not an ordinary kid….Onion John is a man who does things his own way. John has lived in Serenity for many years, scavenging to furnish his home, working a little to buy food and supplies. Then he needs a new hinge for his door and suddenly everyone wants to change Onion John, from his home to his ways of making a living to his ways of thinking. The town gets together and decides to build a brand new house for John; it is not really what John wa...more
I had almost been discouraged from reading this book, right now, because I read a review from someone that the book hardly deserved to be a Newberry Award winner. Because I have made a commitment to read all the Newberry Award winners, I plowed ahead...and boy, am I glad that I did. I thought that the book was one of the best that I have read. I was frustrated by some poor editing of serious punctuation problems. That was the only problem that I saw in the book.
Onion John carries the important...more
Onion John carries the important...more
I love onions. There’s nothing better than a steak with sautéed onions on the side. Unfortunately, Onion John lacked the onion necessary to make this delicious. Onion John is a homeless man who speaks no English save for select memorized speeches and his standard “have a good day!” Young Andy Rusch is his best friend since he can, miraculously, understand John’s jabber. Soon enough the town, led by Andy’s father, comes up with a plan to build Onion John a new home. Can you guess what comes next?...more
HAS ANYONE ELSE READ THIS BOOK? It was written in 1959 and it won the Newberry Medal Award. I have no idea what it had that would merrit the Newberry. The Newberry group from goodreads is reading this book this month, so I decided to read it. When I wasn't falling asleep, I was struggling to make it through to the end. I kept thinking, 'it must have a really powerful ending'. I was wrong. I got the message (I think) of the book. But the characters never were fully developed---at least I felt tha...more
This was a total random read...I was picking out books at the library and Owen offered to help. He grabbed this one off the shelf and brought it over to me saying this is going to be a good one mom. I had to laugh because #1 Owen's name is Owen John and this book is called Onion John #2 its a Newberry winner so not too bad Owen it could be good and #3 Owen was so insistant on this one book. So being the "wonderful" mother that I am, I checked it out and read it. I found myself wondering why a te...more
This was quite different. It's the story of a boy's friendship with the town outsider, and the effect that bond has on the boy's father-son relationship, and on the close-knit community. I can't say I identified with it much. However, I did like the issues Krumgold raised about the right way to offer to help someone. In this case, do you offer the help you think the person needs, even if he/she doesn't really want it? How do you know that you know best what he/she needs? Here, we see the down si...more
Read in the 4th grade and ___ years later still remember it like it was yesterday. This book started my love of words, thoughts and books. It has a true life moral to the story about how to accept other peoples ways and respect their right to be who they are in this world. The basic story the townfolk try to "bless" the odd man out with the introduction to a totally new way of life, so foriegn to his own, which results in the main character thinking something is wrong with him....Newbery winner,...more
I recently read this to my six-year-old, and I'm sure it was over his head, although he listened intently anyhow. This book has two different plot strands that are equally strong: the friendship between a boy and an immigrant man who is very different from the rest of the townspeople, and the relationship between the same boy and his father. I thought this book was a great lesson in how to appreciate and value all different kinds of people without just trying to force everyone into cookie-cutter...more
(When I first read this book, I gave it 2 stars. But now...I see this books for the worth it gives in just one scene (side scene, even!).)
You know, I read this book quite a while ago, but I can't get this one scene out of my head. I just have to make note of it so that one day, when this scene replays in my mind, I will always know where to find it -- it won't ever get lost in an anonymous cover in the back of my mind. I can't do justice to the scene, and it can't stand alone--it needs the rest...more
You know, I read this book quite a while ago, but I can't get this one scene out of my head. I just have to make note of it so that one day, when this scene replays in my mind, I will always know where to find it -- it won't ever get lost in an anonymous cover in the back of my mind. I can't do justice to the scene, and it can't stand alone--it needs the rest...more
Onion John is the most fascinating friendship book I have ever read. The book shows how friendship can take down barriers as well as set new ones up. I like how the author shows how different problems begin to accumulate on a friendship that seems will not survive long. While reading the book you feel the strugles Onion and the child go through to maintain their friendship. Onion John shows how anything is possible, no matter what the circumstances. The aspect that makes this book a masterpiece...more
Joseph Krumgold has another Newbery, And Now Miguel. I really didn't like that one so I was nervous about this one, but it was okay-a little more engaging.
It's the story of a boy named Andy and how his best friend is the town eccentric (Onion John). His father wants what's best for Andy, though that's not always what Andy wants for Andy. Andy uses Onion John to hang on to his youth a little longer but ends up growing up anyway. It's cute and the ending makes it worth the slow parts.
It's the story of a boy named Andy and how his best friend is the town eccentric (Onion John). His father wants what's best for Andy, though that's not always what Andy wants for Andy. Andy uses Onion John to hang on to his youth a little longer but ends up growing up anyway. It's cute and the ending makes it worth the slow parts.
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I liked this book better than Krumgold’s previous Newberry book, …And Now Miguel. I think the main reason is the subject matter. I can more easily relate to this book. A young boy makes friends with an odd man from town. Everyone likes the man, but no one understands him. The town decides to help this man by helping him become “civilized” and things don’t work out quite how they were supposed to. It is very well written from the boy’s point of view and fun to follow.
I enjoy Krumgold's writing, but wasn't sure what to make of this book ultimately. It's a little bit the story of a boy's life changed by a Manic Pixie Dream Drifter (if a man can be a drifter and stay mostly in one town). The idea of a man who is attuned to the rhythms of childhood (wonder, mysticism) and believes in them fully himself is intriguing, but I ultimately didn't find Onion John himself believable enough. Is he supposed to be a wise fool? (I think so.) Or just someone who is not all t...more
The Newbery people really like Joseph Krumgoid and Krumgold really knows how to use dialogue to portray difficult emotions between significant family members. The ending between father and son is fantastic. If one gets it then the message was that the father is still his hero and he does not have to be an engineer or the first astronaut to impress his growing son. We should all get this.
Onion John is a squatter who collects things from the town dump. When Andy befriends him, the whole town takes on Onion John as an improvement project and the man and boy experience parallel difficulties fitting in with the intentions of others. While I appreciated the messages, I felt the story lost its momentum after a time and I grew impatient for the end.
I was not expecting this book to be good, but it's amazing. It starts out seeming like most books written in the 50's but then suddenly it's starts dealing with all sorts of complex ideas like how hard it is to help people, and how our ideas of what's best for people aren't always accurate. It also beautifully explores the pain and loss involved in growing up.
This was impressive. Totally caught me off guard & I became a bawling mess while reading aloud to my boys. Warning! It does have a boy planning to run away because he isn't getting what he wants- but I think my boys understood the bigger issue of identity. At least, neither of them have packed their bags yet!
This book was a shocking difference for me in reading children's books. I enjoyed the friendship shared by the baseball playing Andy and his hobo friend Onion John. I would suggest this book for young boys that need a little push into reading, they would get some smiles from this book.
Good little book for kids. Adam is doing it ofr his school work. It gets you thinking about how to help people so that it is actually helpful and making choices, for yourself and others. A few of the references were dated so he probably missed them but it is not a big deal in the big picture.
1960 Newbery winner. Decent but not remarkable. I was into it through the first half and then my interest fizzled. I marked a bunch of pages for quotes but when I went back to write them down I didn't find anything that was particularly memorable.
"It would've been better for everybody if he didn't try so hard, to change. First, he wasn't very good at it. And second, I didn't see anything wrong with the way he was."
"It would've been better for everybody if he didn't try so hard, to change. First, he wasn't very good at it. And second, I didn't see anything wrong with the way he was."
I can see why it got a Newberry Award, but I felt it was VERY boring. There is no excitement whatsoever in the book, no action, no romance. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for a capitvating and exciting book.
Newbery winner.
Seriously this is the literary winner? Horrible descriptions of Russian immigrants. I think the discussion of what a good life is and who decides is really important, but I don't think anyone would pay enough attention to this book to apply and learn from the perspectives contained.
I wasn't expecting much since And Now, Miguel, Krummy's other winner was lame as well, but this story was weird and the dialogue was poor at best, especially the communication between Andy and his fathe...more
Seriously this is the literary winner? Horrible descriptions of Russian immigrants. I think the discussion of what a good life is and who decides is really important, but I don't think anyone would pay enough attention to this book to apply and learn from the perspectives contained.
I wasn't expecting much since And Now, Miguel, Krummy's other winner was lame as well, but this story was weird and the dialogue was poor at best, especially the communication between Andy and his fathe...more
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In addition to being a renowned author of books for young readers, Joseph Quincy Krumgold was a scriptwriter for several well-known movies, including "Seven Miles From Alcatraz" (1942) and "Dream No More" (1953). While he did not have a great number of books published over the span of his writing career, Joseph Krumgold became the first author to win the John Newbery Medal for two different books...more
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