Onion John

by Joseph Krumgold

Book Overview

The story of a friendship between a 12-year-old boy and an immigrant handyman, almost wrecked by the good intentions of the townspeople.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064401448
• ISBN13: 9780064401449
• Release Date: April 1984
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

A very good book

This book just made you feel good. At first, it seemed like Andy was the only one who wanted to help Onion John. But then, the whole town teams up to build him a new house with electricity, a stove where he doesn't need newspaper to light. When his house burns down, you know the people care about him. It is sad when he has to run away from the town of Serenity.

A book remembered from childhood!

This book was read to my class by a teacher when I was in the third grade. She read it over a period of about a month and it captured my imagination to such an extent that I wanted to read every book in the library! I am a voracious reader and credit this book (and the teacher!) with lighting the spark which has kept me reading and curious about everything despite the fact that I am now approaching 40! I highly recommend this book for all children and hope that others can experience the joys of becoming aquainted with the written word through reading aloud.

Onion John is getting plans,but doesn't want it at all.

Andy Rusch's father is making plans for his friend named Onion John. But the thing they don't know is that he doesn't need future plans for him. Especially because he is the town eccentric. People at Serenity don't seem to like him because he is a homeless and practically lives in a dump. Mr. Rusch is making future plans for Onion John just like he did to his own son, but Onion John is not his son, so he doesn't want any future plans or goals for him. He likes the way he lives right now as the town eccentric.

A true hometown experience

Onion John by Joseph Krumgold is a funny, sad, and mysterious book (unless you flip to the end). It is about a man named Onion John, a poor, lonely immigrant who lives on top of Hessian Hill, and a boy named Andy who helps Onion John. They make decisions such as whether Onion John should move away, or fumigate Hessian Hill with oak branch fire to fog out evil spirits out of everybody on Halloween.Onion John is a great book and I highly recommend it

A true "Home Town" experience!

This book shows the practice of excellent morals! This book is easy enough for young people to understand yet has modern day problems that adults can relate to. This book is about a small town and how they help a local homeless man by building him a new modern home and giving him a new life. I enjoyed reading this book and I hope that you will too