The Seventeenth-Street Gang

by Emily Cheney Neville, Emily Arnold McCully (Illustrator)

swift-moving fun story...

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Emily Cheney Neville, an American author of children's books, was born in Manchester, Connecticut in 1919 and graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1940.
In 1963, she wrote her first book, "It's Like This, Cat", which was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1964.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's Like This, Cat, which won Emily Cheney Neville the 1964 Newbery Medal, is her most famous work; however, The Seventeenth-Street Gang enjoyed some notoriety. In March of 1977 it was adapted as a one-hour ABC Afterschool Special episode, with a cast of young actors and actresses that included the oft-seen Kim Richards. The preteen kids of Seventeenth Street in New York City are a close-knit group. Minnow Jenks spends a lot of time with Ivan Hedge, even though he's two years younger than she. C.C. Vanderpane's best friend is Junior Rivera, and Toby Meyer's is Louise DeWitt, whose family is more financially secure than the others. Always ready to fend off an ambush in their prank war with the older kids of Sixteenth Street, our Seventeenth Street protagonists take pride in where they live.

When Hollis Rourke moves to Seventeenth Street, a rich kid with a big scary dog named Genghis Khan, the gang declares him an enemy. They can't stand uppity kids; sure, Louise comes from money, but she's not a snob about it. Every time Minnow, Ivan, C.C., Junior, and Toby plot a prank against Hollis, he has Genghis Khan around to defend him; does he ever leave home without his canine bodyguard? Minnow and her friends resent Hollis more each day, but Louise meets the new boy via parental connection, and finds him nice enough after all. Minnow, too, makes Hollis's acquaintance when her friends aren't around, but won't admit she jumped to the wrong conclusions about him. The gang has their hearts set on "war" with the rich kid who's invaded the neighborhood.

Louise and Minnow keep their interactions with Hollis secret, but he can see what's going on. He wants to make friends with the gang, but isn't about to beg them. When Minnow engineers a new plan to prank Hollis, it is she who ends up accidentally falling into the East River, but Hollis has the decency to dive in and attempt to fish her out. The debacle puts Minnow in bad standing with her friends, who suspect she's not as averse to Hollis as she lets on, but sometimes it's necessary to ally with a former rival against a common adversary. Tribal loyalty on Seventeenth Street will never be simple, but Minnow and the gang are getting a clearer picture of who is a friend and who a foe.

I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed by The Seventeenth-Street Gang. The easygoing urban rhythm of It's Like This, Cat is absent here, and characterization is close to nonexistent. Minnow's voice and personality are recognizable, but Ivan, C.C., Junior, Toby, and even Louise to some extent all run together in my mind. Little of the story's potential is ever realized, and though normally I'm a fan of Emily Arnold McCully, I wasn't impressed by her illustrations in this book. I rate The Seventeenth-Street Gang one and a half stars and could round up to two, but I know Emily Cheney Neville is much better than this. At her best, I love what she writes.

[Cathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid, I loved this book. It's not quite as good as IT'S LIKE THIS, CAT, but it's still a terrific little book. Maybe it's because I was fascinated by the idea of living in New York City, but I really connected with Emily Neville's books in my elementary school years. I loved the portrayal of kids growing up in the city, in a world that was very different from my small town, and yet which was filled with fun times, good friends, and everyday challenges just like mine. I wonder if modern-day kids would like these books, or would they not have enough drama and pizzazz to keep them interested. Hmmm...

[Kidlitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was living in NYC as a child ever this simple? You certainly spent more time out on the street playing and that is what the gang here does. There's a distinct echo of Louise Fitzhurgh here, though Cheney is not as fine tuned to the class and intelligence cues and mishaps that ruled Harriet's world. These kids are bright enough but in a bubble that excludes television, news, even school. Several of them do change a little but Minnow, the presiding superego, ends still detesting "the flotts." A future protestor, let's hope so.

[Debbie Shelkey-Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a quick and fun read. I still have a copy from my childhood! I re-read just for fun. Boy, did I write my name in the book about 10 times. All lovable characters. They all tell the reader a bit about their families and life on the street in NY. Lasting friendships for sure. Minnow loves attention but Hollis and Louise prefer to stay in the shadows. Excitement comes to the street when a new boy moves in with his FEROCIOUS dog.

[Ella Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was good and funny. My favorite part is when there's a couple and they prepared a plan to blocked the way of the couple to get some money then their plan was successful. The whole gang became friendly.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. It is about a group of kids and the street they live on.