The Wheel on the School

The Wheel on the School (1954) is a novel by Meindert de Jong that won the Newbery Medal.

Set in his native Netherlands, it tells the story of a group of schoolchildren who want to encourage a family of storks to net on their school roof. To do this, they place a cartwheel on the roof. This leads to unexpected drama, as hostile adults and the natural forces of winds and tides seem to conspire to thwart them.