Books That Inspire 2004
 
The Wheel on the School
Meindert De Jong


The first book I ever read bearing the gold medallion of the Newberry Medal was Meindert De Jong’s The Wheel on the School. I was around ten years old when the county bookmobile’s librarian handed it to me and explained that the shiny seal on its jacket could only be found on very special books.

The story, set in Holland, is about a young girl named Lina, who wonders why storks never nest in her village. She soon discovers that “sometimes when we wonder, we can make things begin to happen.” I find that idea magically inspiring and empowering to this day.
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Lawana Cavins
Communications Paraprofessional IV
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering