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The Wheel on the School

Credits

Readability Age Range

Publisher

Awards

Year Published

Book Review

This drama by Meindert DeJong is published by HarperCollins Publishers and is written for kids ages 9 to 12. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.

Plot Summary

Lina asks why the storks no longer nest in her city, Shora. Her teacher urges all his pupils to wonder along with Lina. The children’s curiosity leads to an investigation. Soon they’re involving their whole Dutch fishing village in efforts to learn about storks and find a way to bring them back to Shora. As they hunt for an old wagon wheel to use as a nest, even elderly and disabled townspeople try to bolster the children’s efforts. Not only do the people of Shora get the storks back, but they also discover what can happen when a community works together.

Christian Beliefs

Most townspeople attend church, and Janus, a lapsed churchgoer, rejoins the congregation when he feels his bond with the community deepening. The fishermen and their families readily attribute their safety to intervention from God, who protects them through life’s literal storms, and they seem eager to attend church to demonstrate their gratitude for His provision. When the men of the village are badgered into helping put a wheel on the schoolhouse roof, the teacher humorously references Solomon and his proverb about it being better to sit on the roof of a house than inside with a nagging wife.

Other Belief Systems

None

Authority Roles

Despite having only six students, the town teacher relishes the opportunity to inspire Shora’s youngsters. He urges them to wonder and encourages them to act on their curiosity. The children’s fishermen fathers, normally out at sea for long periods, grow restless and agitated when forced to stay home because of the weather. (They do help the children get their wheel mounted on the school and seem to gain some satisfaction from the project.) Some of the greatest allies in the stork project are two elderly people (Grandma Sibble III and Douwa) and a man with no legs (Janus). Their ability to provide useful services and information restores their sense of dignity and purpose, and allows them to rediscover joy in their lives.

Profanity & Violence

None

Sexual Content

None

Discussion Topics

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Additional Comments


Book reviews cover the content, themes and world-views of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. A book’s inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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