The View from Saturday | 
| Author: E. L. Konigsburg
Publisher: Aladdin
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
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You Save: $6.98 (100%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  287 reviews
Sales Rank: 7707
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 176
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5 x 0.5
ISBN: 0689817215
EAN: 9780689817212
ASIN: 0689817215
Publication Date: February 1, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Paperback, spine is creased, book is pretty beat up but completely readable. Your order ships promptly and will include a shipping confirmation e-mail.
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Amazon.com Review
A powerhouse sixth-grade Academic Bowl team from Epiphany Middle School; the art of calligraphy; the retirees of Century Village, Florida; a genius dog named Ginger; and a holiday production of "Annie" all figure heavily in the latest book by E. L. Konigsburg, who has produced a Newbery Medal-winning children's tale to rival her classic iFrom the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler/i, which won the Newbery Medal almost 30 years ago. The new book centers around a group of four brilliant, shy 12-year-olds and the tea party they have each Saturday morning. Konigsburg's wacky erudition and her knack for offbeat characters make this a funny and endearing story of friendship.
Product Description
Did Mrs. Olinsky choose the four members of the sixth grade Academic Bowl Team, or did they choose her--and one another? Four stories-within-in-a-story, interspersed with the ongoing narrative of the team's triumphant march to the state championship, introduce each member of the team in his own her own voice, and bring the dynamics of the group into focus .
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| Customer Reviews: Read 282 more reviews...
 Only Okay for a Newberry December 9, 2008
"The View from Saturday" is written as a reminiscence, with a nostalgic tone so artificially sweet, it is at times nearly too sugary to bear. The last sentence of every page break or chapter vies for immense significance but instead gives the book's over-all impression too much sentimentality.br /br /The novel itself is structured to bridge several different stories together, so it is appropriate that the main characters find their lives woven together. However, intertwining of their lives is in many places so extreme, and appears so often, it becomes a little trite. "Less is more" is repeated throughout the story, so it's surprising the author did not use the "less is more" approach when writing the coincidences that bring the characters together.br /br /It's really not a bad book at all, and the message is very positive, but it's hard for me to fathom that this was really the best children's book published that year. A better read is E. L. Konigsburg's other Newbery Medal award winner, "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."
Four unlikely Academic Bowl team candidates unite in victory, gaining confidence and the respect and admiration of their peers September 7, 2008
Although I'm a fan of the underdog, this story of four such students (all underdogs in their own way) is more insipid than pleasant. It covers the subjects sixth-graders worry about, especially that of how and where they fit in with their classmates and the world. Through a series of coincidences or fate, the four eventually team up and crush the scholastic competition. And there are four sub-stories, one covering events leading up to each student being chosen for the team. But the idea that because individually, for reasons that I won't share so as not to spoil the plot, is able to answer a particularly difficult question custom-tailored by the author to fit their background, qualifies them to be chosen for the team is a bit silly. The obviously contrived plot overshadows the feel good aspect of The View from Saturday. Better: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Frindle by Andrew Clements and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Interesting July 30, 2008
I think that Konigsburg writes in an intelligent way, considering the age groups that will be reading the book and how they're going to interpret the material.br /Telling the story of a sixth grade academic team, and how they can pull together to become friends, 'The View From Saturday' is a feel good novel that everyone who loves friendship and a learning experience should read.
 A Waste of Time May 14, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I think the book The View from Saturday was a waste of time for the writer. The theme was not so interesting and the characters had no personality. It is not a book I recommend to people. br /br / This book was confusing and did not explain the story so well. On every other page there was a new scene. In the book the author did not explain when the characters went to the academic bowls. Some of the characters did not have a personality although Juilan was my favorite because of his differences. He is different because on the first day of school he wore knee socks and shorts and to the other characters and school that was weird. Another part I thought was a little strange was the theme. If you drink tea with your friends your personality will change.br / br / The book is not worth reading.
Cloudy view indeed! April 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was going to write a review, but Sara Hathaway has spared me the time it would take in her "Cloudy View" July 16, 2007 review. I am a grandmother in the process of reading through Newbery winners (a retired elementary teacher, mother of 5, + have 13 grands) and so far am finding it rather tedious and disappointing (See my review for Criss Cross). "View" seemed to promise more, but it just never delivered and so I was disappointed when I got to the end.
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