Book Description

Why do the storks no longer come to the little Dutch fishing village of Shora to nest? It was Lina, one of the six schoolchildren who first asked the question, and she set the others to wondering. And sometimes when you begin to wonder, you begin to make things happen. So the children set out to bring the storks back to Shora. The force of their vision put the whole village to work until at last the dream began to come true.

Winner, 1955 Newbery Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1940–1970 (ALA)
1963 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award

Reviews (21)

Each time I read this book, I love it more.
This is so much more than the story of a group of school children trying to bring storks to their Dutch fishing village on the North Sea. It is a story of people - people everywhere. It is a story of how important people are, irregardless of their age, physical condition, or how they make a living. It encourages us to go beyond what we see on the surface. It shows us that when we help others and care about others, good things will come to us. The children originally wanted to lure storks to their little village because the storks were said to bring good luck. Little did they know that storks would send good fortune ahead in the form of new-found friendships, help for others, and a community that came closer together than it had been before. Miendert DeJong does a masterful job of telling the story and providing strategically planted links as the events take place and unfold. I am an elementary teacher in Cabarrus County, NC. I have read this book to my children each year for many years. When I ask my new class if anyone has heard of the book, no one raises a hand. By the time we finish, the children feel like they have been right there with Lina and the boys. They have also grown to realize that Janus was far from being the mean old man that they met at the beginning. They realize that he just needed to be needed. Each time I read the book, I see more and I learn more. Don't read this story just once. You will be walking over a hidden treasure.

Breathlessly exciting!
Ok I'll admit I was very skeptical. The premise does seem a bit dry. School children band together to find a wheel to put on their school and attract storks....I was not excited by the prospect. Thank goodness I decided to read it aloud to my children anyway! Some parts of this book are so exciting and suspenseful that I literally had sweaty palms during the reading.

And just because it is a rousing good tale doesn't mean that there aren't some wonderful life lessons to be learned by it as well. Perserverance. Friendship. And the reality the EVERYONE has something to offer to common good. This is a timeless story with appeal to all ages. Grown-ups will enjoy reading this aloud as much as their children will enjoy hearing it. I confess....I read to the end because I couldn't wait for the next read-aloud session.

The most stupidest book I have ever read!
This book is so boaring. I mean storks! Thats for like 5 year olds. This book is for people who like nice calm books. This book doesn't even have have any action,unlike Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the Angel series. If I reccommened any books i reccomened Charmed, Angel, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer books.

A Classic Story With Heart and Soul
Meindert DeJong's literary voice is one of a old man sitting on a bench telling this charming tale with realism and character. This story takes you away to Shora, a small, fishing village where life has a pace of its own. The characters, mostly children, develop fully within the context of this inspiring story about their determination and ability to change their world. It is definitely one of those books you read furiously and hate to have end.

Wow
My title sums up my feelings about this book. The name "The Wheel On the School" sounds too much like a child's song than a Newbery Medal. When I started reading it though, I was hooked. It has a very original plot and is written by a great writer (He has won the most Newbery Medals and Honors ever). The basic plot: a girl named Lina goes to a school in Holland with five other kids. She decides to try to get some storks to come to her village, and all the school kids try to help her. I would highly suggest this book to anyone who does not mind reading a book this long. ... Read more

Book Description

‘A vividly realistic story of China during the early days of the Japanese invasion [which tells of young Tien Pao’s journey to find his family].’ —C. ‘Valuable as enrichment literature for elementary students involved in Chinese studies.’ —Scholastic Teacher.

1957 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1956 (ALA)
1956 Children's Book Award (Child Study Association) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

House of Sixty Fathers
I read this book aloud to my sixth grade reading class. They loved it, and always wanted to hear more. Its also a great way to introduce students to some of the history of China, Japan and US involvement in the war there.

My 3rd grade son loved this book!
Boys can be picky readers, so I always take notes if they actually love a book. My 8 year old carried this book everywhere and told be about it every night for a week. Besides Redwall or Harry Potter, this is the first book he has raved about.

Brought back memories...
I told my young son about what a good book this was when I read it growing up, encouraging him to read it as well. He too enjoyed it, and I read it again in my fifties. Excellent book, would certainly encourage children to read it. Now in his teens, we still use a memorable quote from the book, "the heart understands without words".

Great
It's a nice exciting book. You can't really stop reading it. The pictures are great. It is a book that you have to read before you grow up to much. I didn't like that book for one reason- it was really sad. Sad books are okay, but not that great unless it is very exciting but this was an exciting book. So let's aplaud for Meindert DeJong

Remembering 5th Grade!
I remember reading this book in 5th grade. The imagery and the writing was beautiful, not to mention the story. I recommend this book to all kids! It has a great sense of history and culture. In a time when video games and tv are taking over, it's a good book to sit with your kids to talk about the importance of family. ... Read more

Book Description

The friendship of a little red hen and a homeless dog who appoints himself her protector ‘is treated by the author with delicacy and strength in lovely and lucid prose.’ —C. "A moving story, full of suspense." —H.

1959 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1940–1970 (ALA)
Aurianne Award 1958 (ALA)
1959 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
Best in Catholic Reading for Children 1959 (CLA)
Honor Certificate 1960, Hans Christian Andersen Award Committee (IBBY) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A book to treasure always.
Meindert De Jong is a master of simple yet powerful stories. Ordinary settings, with ordinary people, tell extraordinary tales of love, fear, friendship and survival. You cannot read a De Jong book without tears flowing and Happiness triumphing in the end. I recommend this book for all ages, as well as any other Meindert De Jong books.

Love at first sight.
I loved the story! Anyone who has lived with a dog and knows the behavior and emotions a dog is capable of can relate to this book. It is a tender story of compassion and acceptance.

Two thumbs up for this beautiful story
This is a lovely, sensitive story about a lonely dog searching for a home and the friendless little red hen he loves and protects. The author tells the story from the dog's and the hen's points of view, displaying a keen understanding of animal behavior. Sensitive children will identify with the protagonists, and it is impossible to avoid caring deeply about the fate of the two friends as the reader is drawn into their world. The story is suspenseful without being too scary for young children, and also includes a valuable message about accepting those who are "different." I loved this story as a youngster, and borrowed it dozens of times from my elementary school library. I just re-discovered it now at 36 years of age (I had assumed that it was out of print). It has not lost any of it's charm in the 25 years since I last read it.

One of the best books I've ever read!!!
I think that Along Came A Dog is very inspiring!Every time you put it down(which is not many times)it leaves you wondering "what going to happen next?"I think this would be at the top of the list,if kids like me could get there hands on it!!!

BOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGG!!!!!
It was an okay story, the plot and stuff, but it was boring!!! I would NOT recommend it unless you like boring stories! The story went nowhere, De Jong stayed on the same thing WAAAAAAY too long.

TWO THUMBS DOWN!!! I WISH THEY HAD A ZERO STAR RATING!!! ... Read more

Book Description

‘The creativeness and artistry of the author is evidenced in the starkly realistic, compassionate story of Candy, a little lost dog that becomes a stray.’ —BL. ‘Mature, sensitive . . . written with originality and imagination.’ —SLJ.

1954 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books 1940–1959 (ALA) ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The Best
I found this book in the school library when I was in 3rd grade. Upon reading it, it became my favourite book of all time (still is.) Even as an adult I would go to the kids' section of the library and check this book out every year or two. I haven't read it in a long time, but am looking forward to owning it now. I named my cat after the dog in this book. This is a great story for sensitive, animal-loving children.

left a life-long impression
I read this book when I was in third grade (25 years ago). Unlike many books I read as a child, I've never re-read this but have always meant to. Part of the reason I've never read it is that I always forget the title. Someone on my children's literature list knew the book and I made it a point to write it down right away. The other reason I haven't re-read it as an adult is that I've never come across a used copy at a yard sale, book store, etc. Maybe nobody ever wants to part with theirs! Honestly, all I remember from reading this book was it is about a lost dog. But it made such an impression on me as a child. It really moved me in the way that Black Beauty moved me. And the memory of the feelings the story envoked have lasted with me always. I look forward to finally re-visiting this little gem.

Katelin From Richview Middle School
This book is a very very adventurous book . The dog in the story is lost and goes to many different places to find his home. When the dog goes out to get something or play he is always in a different place that he does'nt now where he is. this book is kinda like a mystery. This book has many different steps to it and the dog and the different kinds of people that keep the dog and then loses the dog. The dog starts out with a family with two kids, agirl and a boy. The dog goes to the kids grandparents house and gets lost. That's the first time the dog gets lost. Then the dog found an old lady and she took the dog in, later the lady had a wreck with her horse and the dog walk over to the other side of the road. The then goes to the pound and an old man gets the dog. Find out if the dog gets lost again by reading the book.

A book you will remember for years!
I first read this book in junior high. It is now thirty some years later and I am ordering it to read again. I am sure that my children will enjoy and remember it like I have. This is a "must read" for anyone who loves animals.

Forty years later
Hurry Home Candy was such a significant read of my childhood - the fear of abandonment and the joy of being loved experienced and retold through the emotions of a dog! A special book,timeless,universal themes sharply observed and wonderfully illustrated. I recommend for all grown up children who enjoyed Hurry Home Candy to read the recently published "Timoleon Vieta Come Home" by Dan Rhodes - Canongate Books 2003. ISBN 1 84195 389 X. This book is special too. Check it out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Davie wants a little black rabbit, and he wants one badly. Fortunately, his grandfather has promised him one. While waiting for it to arrive, he wonders what he should name it. Satan? Too sinister. Shoe Polish? Too sticky. Night? No good. Lily of the Valley? Too white. Finally, he decides to name his future rabbit Shadrach after one of the three young men in the Bible that "old Nebuchadnezzar in the old testament had tossed into the fiery furnace." No doubt about it, Davie is obsessed.

Davie's almost religious zeal for his soon-to-be pet, of whom he sings, "fairest of ten thousand to my soul," doesn't fade with the arrival of the actual rabbit. "To think he'd had Shadrach two weeks now! It was almost unbelievable, and it was still a miracle. Every morning you woke up it was a miracle all over again, that there in a barn across the Dutch village sat a little rabbit, and he was yours. Something breathing, nibbling, hopping, and it was yours! In all the world it was yours. It was alive, and it was yours!" Any child who has ever cried with happiness to have a pet will completely understand young Davie's emotions. Meindert Dejong, award-winning author of Newbery Medalist TheWheel on the School and The House ofSixty Fathers, has created a strikingly emotional novel for young readers, perfectly complemented by the illustrations of Maurice Sendak. (Ages 9 to 12) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Wonderful Bedtime Story
(...)The prose is poetic, repetitive, hypnotic -- the perfect bedtime mix. At the same time, DeJong accurately conveys the inner thoughts and emotions of a small child who is completely taken with his first pet. I admit to sending the kids off to bed after reading them a chapter, then slinking back to read the next chapter on my own. PS The hymn Davie sings, "He's the Lily of the Valley," can be heard on the web. Type the title into your browser.

for parents every where
I was browsing throw the library to find a book for myself when i found the book shadrach. At first i didn't realy care for it until i started skimming throw the pages. To a kid like me it looked easy to read, but when i started reading it i couldnt stop. It was like the harry potter books when you just cant stop reading. So after two hours i checked the page and i was on page 147 and i couldnt believe it. To someone it might not be very impessive but it was to me and my family,because i hate reading. By the time i was finished i had two weeks to finish my ritten book report. Since i read it so quickly i got a A on it. So the book shadrach is a very iteresting book to read for all ages.

I LIKED IT BECAUSE OF THE ANIMALS
I LIKED THE BOOK SHADRACH!I LIKED DAVIE BECAUSE HE WAS BRAVE TO CATCH THE RAT.I LIKED THE BOOK BECAUSEI LIKE ANIMALS.FROM THE START OF THE BOOK I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BORING.WHEN I READ IT IT WAS GREAT.

Sweet story
I read this book over the summer and felt my fourth graders would enjoy it. It offered a counterbalance to the fast action books they are used to. I realized it must be a dated style because of the absence of t.v. and other diversions we are unfortunately accustomed to. I recommend children being able to be exposed to a very well written, nurturing book. Actually, the children probably had to use more imagination while reading than in contemporary novels.

A story for any child who has longed for or loved an animal.
I'm thrilled to find this book back in print. I read it over and over as a child but never had a copy of my own. Years later I found a single copy in the library and read it to my own children. Along with THE WHEEL ON THE SCHOOL, this has been a family favorite for generations. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lonely in a house and neighborhood full of grownups (not counting her annoying neighbor Sarah), Millicent craves the comfort of a kitten to call her own. Unfortunately, her mother's allergies make it impossible for a cat to be anywhere near their house. So when Millicent wakes up early one Easter morning and finds a blue-gray kitten by her Easter basket in the living room, her luck seems too good to be true. Unfortunately, it is too good to be true. In no time at all, Millicent and her Blue Angel have become "fugitives from the law," hiding in a secret room under the house while her entire family searches the neighborhood for them, and her mother sneezes miserably.

Meindert DeJong's portrayal of a lonesome girl seeking to forge a connection in her world has a subtle yet moving authenticity. Winner of the Newbery Award for The Wheel on the School, DeJong writes with quiet wit and sensitivity--and a lot of excitement! Lillian Hoban's familiar line drawings are invitingly fuzzy, recalling the illustrations in her picture book series about Arthur (Arthur's Birthday Party) and Frances (A Baby Sister for Frances). (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Incredible Tale Of A Childhood Must-Have Book
I had this book read to me by my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Reed. It is my favorite book of all time, and the story is fascinating. Even now, while in college, I still remember how often I would read this book as a child. However, there was only one copy at my elementary school library, so I have been unable to find this book--until now. Thanks to Amazon, they found a copy for me and it's on its way to me now!! I'm thankful I'll be able to read this book to my children of an incredible tale of a child-hood must-have book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Unforgettable treat!
Each time I read "Far Out the Long Canal," the response of upper elementary listeners is the same - wide-eyed wonder and rapt attention. Could it be that they love Meindert DeJong's story as much as I do? Do the canals of the Netherlands come alive for them, too, as they wait with nine-year old Moonta for the first ice?

DeJong's word pictures carry the reader breathlessly through fog and cold, waiting and waiting for that ice to come and solve Moonta's dilemma - "he was the only one in the big room of the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders who couldn't skate."

Day after day, Moonta waits - waits impatiently - waits grudgingly - waits for ice that refuses to form. And then comes the day when Lees, the neighbor woman who knows more about weather than most seamen, comes out to shake a rug, sniffs the air, and says, "...there's a change coming. It's going to freeze, Moonta."

Freeze! Will Moonta learn to skate this year?

DeJong's strong moral values shine through as he weaves a story that models for his readers patience, courage, and obedience to those in authority.

All of DeJong's books are classics, but this one ties with "The House of Sixty Fathers" as my favorites.



... Read more