Onion John, 1960 Winner

I admit I didn't do a careful reading, but I zipped through Joseph Krumgold's Onion John while preparing potential lesson plans relating to the theme of fatherhood two years ago. I didn't use the book for a lesson, but here is what I wrote about it in the annotated list of "resources" for the paper:

Boy befriends a homeless man in small town New Jersey. Boy is the only person who can understand the man through his speech impediment. Father objects but later mellows and stops pressuring boy to become an engineer. Boy expresses admiration for father. Homeless man goes away. Seems dated and ending is too pat.

I remember thinking that a present-day Newbery author or reviewer would probably be most concerned about showing the boy's growing understanding of the issues of homelessness.

I wished Krumgold had done a better job of tying up the loose end regarding the eventual fate of Onion John. Apparently, he just goes on to live in a different place and the boy goes on with his life. Perhaps I should recognize that as the reality of poverty and homelessness, and not expect resolution of that part of the story.

In the 1960 world, it was the reconciliation of the father and the boy that was the focus of the novel, and was considered wonderful enough to win the Newbery. Times change.