Newsies: A Novel

by Jonathan Fast

Jack Kelly and David Jacobs help lead the Newsboys Strike against newspaper baron Joseph Pulitzer

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade

139 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Tena Edlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't the exact version of our play script, but it's the closest thing I could make fit. It's a great story of empowerment and fighting for what's right. I can't wait for auditions this week!

[Natasja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I expected some more depth to the characters and story as we know it from the film. I was thoroughly confused when they started to refer to Jack as Irish and as Spot to be a red haired freckled goblin (????? It was funny tho) and all these things. The best things in this book were the Javid moments (felt as if he had lost someone he loved?? Damn Davey) and Boots when they visited Brooklyn. I also quite liked the historical contexts? At least I know now that teddy bears got their name thanks to Teddy Roosevelt. Thanks for that Jonathan. Nevertheless I did expect more.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't have the heart to give this book a three. It's incredibly cute and has some good lines not in the movie. Definitely a must for the crazy, screaming fangirl (or said fangirls little sister/brother/cousin).

[Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

idk how i got here but i blame jeremy jordan

[Ania · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

Propsy za lepiej wykreowaną postać Sarah niż w filmie i nieco mniej bezsensowny wątek romantyczny, chociaż nadal niestety zdecydowanie nie wysokich lotów :')

Przeszkadzały mi natomiast znikoma ilość historycznych zdjęć, chociażby z faktycznego strajku, w porównaniu do ilości kadrów z filmu i nieoddzielenie ich od siebie.

Lecz mimo wszystko nadal kocham Newsies/Gazeciarzy w każdym wydaniu (zwłaszcza musicalowym <3), książka tego na szczęście nie zmieniła, a wręcz podtrzymała, będąc moim zdaniem lepsza niż film i nie będąc 1:1 jego scenariuszem, przerobionym na wersję książkową

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best children-intended novelization of Newsies you could ask for. It follows the plot of the film closely and does a good job attempting to give historical context within the narrative. It would only be made better, in my opinion, if it had included actual listed sources for the historical context sections - particularly places like the brief biographies of Pulitzer and Roosevelt and the final chapter about the historical strike of summer 1899.

[Annabelle P · Rating 4 out of 5]

love this book, musical is best cuz i saw it first. its about the newsboys strike of 1899, but based loosely. i think it could have been written slightly better, but it was a good book.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finding out that my favourite movie was also a book was the highlight of my month.

It was interesting to see a different writing of some of the character (Davy specifically). But, ooft the writing is not that great in this one.

The 3 stars are solely from the fact that I love this movie so much and think about these boys alot.

[rachel ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

find this in my collection of bootlegged pdfs 🤍 jack & david my loves forever and ever!

[.°• abby jean.°•]

dunno how i found this book but i blame my race higgins and crutchie <3

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newsies: a Novel does a great job of relating the events of the film while also offering different material that I found to be very interesting. If you're expecting a line-by-line adaptation from screen to book, this isn't that! I believe that this novel was using an earlier script as it was published before the movie came out and there are a few significant differences.

I liked that the novel offers some further backstory and context to the story. The writing itself is nothing remarkable, but it was enjoyable, and I loved the inclusion of chapter titles.

Overall, if you love Newsies, you'll like this book.

[Mari Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was unironically funny, like certain things were just funnier knowing the movie and the fandom. Along with just how it was worded at times lent itself to being unironically hilarious.
There were a few choices that I felt were not in character very much; others it added too those characters and gave them more of a three cartelization.

[ouihaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

don’t ask why i read this i was possessed by an entity far out of my control

[Mirte Van Kol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eigenlijk gewoon precies de film uitgeschreven in een boek, maar love de film so love the book 🤌🤌

[Laken · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s supposed to be a movie novelization, the guy who wrote it probs didn’t watch the movie

[Britt-goodie of newsieness · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish the writer had written it better, like, it was so "David Jacobs did blah blah blah" I think someone, some newsies fan should sometime re-do this book, as they would be more excited about it. I did like that it was about newsies, so yeah. I felt myself saying, "Hey! that wasn't in the movie!" It would have been boring if it had all the quotes from the movie, I guess... It was weird, them dscribing Spot as a gnomey kind of person with freckles and I would think "THAT IS NOT SPOT!"(no rhyme intended) but then he would say all of Spot's lines, so I was like "I guess it is, if it has to be..." oh yeah, and,




KID BLINK DIDN'T HAVE HIS EYE PATCH ON!!!!!!AHHHH! THE UNIVERSE HAS COME TO A STANDSTILL! PIGS ARE FLYING!!!!!It was like seeing him in the special features, without it on. or like that other book "Kid Blink Beats the World" by Don Brown where he didn't have it on, but still, those were illustrations.

[Omdog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loosely based on the movie, the book gives a little bit more back story to the characters, and provides more detail about the time period than you get from the silver screen version.
There's more historical data incorporated in the text, and even some pictures of authentic 1890's newsies.

The copy I have is completely battered, halmarks of a well loved book, and it has a picture of a late teens - early twenties Christian Bale on the cover :). Was I the only one who read this? I feel really silly even admitting I own it. Then again, I was 13 and obsessed with the movie. Gimme a break huh?