A View from Any Day

A 1997 Newberry Award winner was a definite pick for this book. The View From Saturday, by E.L. Konigsburg, is classic Konigsburg work. She was written other great stories. But, ..Saturday is without doubt her best.


In the story of four sixth graders who qualify for the Epiphany Middle School Academic Bowl team from Mrs. Olinski's class, E.L. really gives a great effort. As the story begins, each of the four contestants, Noah Gershom, Ethan Potter, Julian Singh, and Nadia, are strangely "related" in one way or another. Noah was the best man at Nadia's grandfather and Ethan's grandmother's wedding, and the newlyweds stay at Julian's dad's B&B. Each participator tells their story in the first four chapters of the book. In the middle of them all, they give the question that they each answer.


After, Mrs. Eva Marie Olinski explains how she chose, or didn't choose, her team. She knew the first three, but didn't know the fourth member of her team. She was debating between two kids, Julian, and Hamilton Knapp, the class troublemaker. She knew that Ham wasn't the choice for the team.


No one thinks that Olinski's team has the ability to beat the other competitors, until one by one, the 6th grade teams fall, then the 7th, then 8th. For the first time, a 6th grade team is representing Epiphany.


What happens at their most important meet? I don't want to spoil the book for you! But, I'll tell you that this is a great read for a teen reader.