The Seventh Most Important Thing

by Shelley Pearsall

Hardcover, 2015

Status

Available

Genres

Children's Books

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

Children's Circulating

Publication

Knopf Books for Young Readers (2015), 288 pages

Description

"In 1963, thirteen-year-old Arthur is sentenced to community service helping the neighborhood Junk Man after he throws a brick at the old man's head in a moment of rage, but the junk he collects might be more important than he suspects. Inspired by the work of American folk artist James Hampton"--

User reviews

LibraryThing member Brainannex

I love Shelley Pearsall's work. It's always moving without being schmaltzy and this story is no different. Arthur throws a brick at the Junk Man, a neighborhood character. As punishment, Arthur is told to work with the Junk Man. And what the Junk Man needs help with defies all explanation. Based on

a true story.

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12 more

LibraryThing member acargile

This novel is realistic fiction, inspired by an actual event and man.

Arthur T. Owens sees a man, gets angry, and throws a brick at the guy who is always picking through the trash. Staying at juvie for several days waiting to see the judge is only slightly worse than meeting the judge who always

gives out harsh sentences. The guy Arthur hit requests that Arthur do 120 hours of community service with him. Arthur is happy that he didn’t get a harsh sentence, but he wonders about helping this trash picker.

On his first day of helping the “junk man,” Arthur finds a note to collect the seven most important things. He quickly discovers that he must follow the rules exactly or his parole officer will call. She is non-nonsense and tells him, “Don’t mess up.” Arthur works hard to push an old buggy around and collect the seven most important things. Arthur finally actually meets the “junk man,” Mr. Hampton, and learns that Mr. Hampton is creating an artistic masterpiece. When he finally learns what is really going on, Arthur learns about life, death, and redemption.

This novel is based on the real Mr. Hampton and his art can be viewed at the Smithsonian Institution. You’ll like this realistic fiction novel.

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LibraryThing member sgrame

Arthur T. Owen throws a brick at an old trashpicker when he spots him wearing his dad's hat... his dad who died earlier in the year. When taken to court, the judge sentences Arthur to community service with James Hampton, the man whom he injured in the assault. Arthur now has to push a rusty old

shopping cart around the neighborhood searching for the seven most important things (junk to everyone else) and bring it back to Hampton. Through the process, Arthur begins to see things through a different perspective and finds that dedication and friendship can lead to some pretty neat results. This 278 page book is based on James Hampton's "Third Throne of Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly" , artwork housed in the Smithsonian Museum.

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LibraryThing member kimpiddington

Love that this is written around James Hampton and his folk art masterpiece The Throne of The Third Heaven. The author masterfully blends fiction and reality to create a wonderful story that had me turning the pages and rooting for the main character. Bravo!

LibraryThing member Salsabrarian

Narrated by Nick Podehl. Podehl does a good job articulating Arthur's feelings of confusion and frustration as he figures out his unusual probation assignment to work for the Junk Man while grieving his father's death. His Junk Man and Groovy Jim the tattoo guy are also picturesque.

LibraryThing member WhitneyYPL

When Arthur throws a brick at the Junk Man and severely injures him, his life is turned upside down. Or was it turned upside down before that? After spending time in juvie, it's Arthur's chance to plead his case in front of a judge. It turns out, there was a reason Arthur threw the brick.

As part of

his punishment, Arthur must work for the Junk Man, an eccentric man who wanders the neighborhood picking through people's garbage. At first, Arthur is horrified and confused when he gets his assignment: to help the Junk Man find the seven most important things. Arthur must now put himself in the Junk Man's shoes and search through things people have thrown away to find what seems like a random list of items. But is it really?

Through his time spent working for the Junk Man, Arthur learns valuable lessons about friendship and trying to see things from other points of view. He learns that one person's trash is another person's treasure, and he finds the strength to fight for what's right.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to kids in 4th - 8th grade. I think kids will be hooked by the premise and will want to read it to find out why Arthur threw the brick. It tackles some tough issues like death and our perception of the homeless. Fans of Wendy Mass and Louis Sachar will enjoy. -EC

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LibraryThing member ewyatt

Arthur T. Owens is a kid whose life could have really gone off the rails after he makes a bad decision from his grief and throws a rock at an old man in the neighborhood who is wearing his deceased father's hat. Instead of wanting him punished, the Junk Man asks for Arthur to be assigned to him for

probation. When he reports for his first day, Arthur finds that he is tasked to find the "Seven Most Important Things" As he continues to do his time, Arthur changes, heals, grows, and thinks about redemption.
Charming.
I really wish I could see the piece of art that the group created!

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LibraryThing member asomers

This is a fictionalized account about the artist James Hampton and his work of art called "The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millenium General Assembly" which is currently on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. After reading the story, I am thoroughly intrigued by the work

of art and I 'd like to find a way to get to see it in person!

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LibraryThing member Rvalencia

This book brings you on a rollercoaster of emotions. The book starts off with action, bringing you to the focal point that will set up for the rest of the story. Arthur Owen is portrayed as a troubled kid in the beginning and commits a crime and is sent to "Juvie". As the story develops we see

Arthur though his many layers. Arthur was sent to jail for throwing a brick at a man and nearly killing him. When it was time for his sentencing and he is asked why he committed the crime we find out he is angry and still hasn't coped with the passing of his father. Throughout the book the reader can feel the all the emotions Arthur feels as he goes through the motions of his life. When Mr. Hampton, the man he threw the brick at, states he will have Arthur work off his punishment. It gives Arthur a second chance. After given a list of seemingly random things to find for Mr. Hampton, Arthur eventually realizes that the items on the list are important in everyday life. What seems to be his punishment turns out to be his saving grace. In the end Arthur finally gets his redemption and knows he has deviated from the path many people thought we would end up. My favorite line in the book is when he explains the throne that Mr. Hampton made. "It's a lot easier to show hell. Everybody has done that." The throne was meant to represent Heaven. It had me thinking everyday I worry and I think of the negative and I sometimes say life is Hell. I never once enjoy the beauty of life or take a moment and thank God for my life. This book was meant for anyone that needs a boost of moral or a second chance and to show them it is never to late to change your life around.

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LibraryThing member Stahl-Ricco

“One kid. One crime. One chance to make things right.”

It’s weird, while reading this, I really noticed discarded tinfoil lying about, and felt a strong urge to pick it all up! Ahh, the power of books!

This is a decent YA read. A tale of consequences, redemption, and dealing with loss. And just

finding your way in the world in general. I had no idea until the author's note at the end that it was based on a real artist! I would be very curious to see James Hampton's "The Throne" some day. Very curious. Maybe I'll bring along some tinfoil...

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LibraryThing member grandpahobo

This is a good story. I thought some aspects of the story were left hanging, but its still very satisfying.

LibraryThing member MrNattania72

Though this was a quick read, it lacked characters with huge amounts of depth. The beginning is a duzey way to open a book, but I felt it was a lackluster story. Sorry

LibraryThing member CarrieWuj

3.5 2018 Caudill. I love an anti-hero and Arthur Owens qualifies. He is in 7th grade when his father dies suddenly in a motorcycle accident brought on by drinking and driving. Suddenly his world goes from stable to shaky as he and his younger sister adjust to the death, their mother changing jobs,

and the questionable reputation his father left behind. When Arthur's mother gets rid of all his father's things and Arthur sees the local Junk Man wearing his father's motorcycle cap, impulse takes over and Arthur heaves a brick in the old man's direction, hitting him and knocking him down. Arthur spends 3 weeks in juvie, appears in court and is sentenced to probation working with/for the Junk Man, James Hampton. What develops next is an unpredictable friendship and string of events that rehab Arthur better than any "jail time" can. Arthur must take over the responsibility of finding the 7 most important things: all trash items that Hampton is using to build "heaven." After his time in WWII, he was determined to make something beautiful out of all the broken bits of life. His throne of heaven is wood, cardboard, light bulbs, glass, cans, all covered in shiny foil. I picture something out of City Museum. However, this part of the book is true and the book includes a picture of the Throne of the Third Heaven created by James Hampton and housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which was the idea for this book. With "St. James'" mentoring and a cast of other completely fictional characters: Groovy Jim the tattoo artist, Officer Billie his carmel-corn making parole officer, Squeak, his new and unlikely best friend, and Roger his mother's new boyfriend, Arthur comes to terms with his father's death, his bad choices in life, and the possibility that he is still worthy of heaven. Sweet and spare story about the little things that make a difference. 2 quotes from the true story are imparted to Arthur: "Where there is no vision, the people perish" and "Fear Not." Great lessons for anyone.

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