Eleanor Loprest
3rd August 2015
The View from Saturday is an incredible novel by the amazing E. L. Konigsburg. Sales pitch: it won the 1997 Newbery Medal (the second Newbery for Konigsburg, who also won it for her acclaimed book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler). The story follows in the footsteps of four very different 6th-graders living in the small town of Epiphany, New York, all of whom are linked together in ways that make you think about how small the world really is. The children become a group of friends who call themselves The Souls, and then, as a team, win the academic bowl state championship for their school. The book is really made up of four short stories in chronological order, with one section from the perspective of each of the four Souls, interspersed with non-chronological moments from the perspective of their teacher, Mrs Olinski. Each of the Souls' stories is told in first-person narration, and their outlooks and ways of talking vary greatly, showcasing Konigsburg's great range as a storyteller.
Every time I reread this book, I am reminded of a connection to my own life— my great desire for my school to have an academic bowl team. I honestly would not care if I was the only one who wanted to do it— I still would, even if there was no one else. For this reason, I would recommend The View from Saturday to academic bookworms— children who fit this description like myself will connect with the precocious cast of characters and enjoy trying to solve the academic bowl questions scattered throughout the story (and listed in full in the back of the book) alongside the characters. Warning: Noah may make you feel stupid! In addition, I would of course recommend this to any fan of Konigsburg's books— The View from Saturday is a jewel in the crown that is her works. I truly love this book. <3
10/10
Thanks for Reading!
—E. Loprest
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