Jake and the Kid

by W.O. Mitchell

Series of short stories set in rural southern Saskatchewan, where Jake the hired man and the Kid develop a special relationship during World War II while the boy's father is absent.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Canadian Literature, Literature, Short Stories, Humor

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

William Ormond Mitchell was an author of novels, short stories, and plays. He is best known for his 1947 novel Who Has Seen the Wind, which has sold close to a million copies in North America, and a collection of short stories, Jake and the Kid, which subsequently won the Stephen Leacock Award. Both of these portray life on the Canadian prairies where he grew up in the early part of the 20th century. He has often been called the Mark Twain of Canada for his vivid tales of young boys' adventures.

In 1973, Mitchell was made an officer of the Order of Canada.

Reviews

[Czarny Pies · Rating 2 out of 5]

The fictional pair of "Jake and the Kid" had an enormous impact on the Canadian public and its artistic community. The 300 radio stories broadcast int he 1950s and the short-lived TV series attracted large audiences. Their success demonstrated that there was (a) such a thing as a distinct Canadian culture and (b); that was a demand in the market for cultural products that reflected this distinct culture.

Unfortunately the stories in this book communicate none of the magic of the original radio and TV shows. The text is wooden and the dialogues are dreadful. W.O. Mitchell has an infuriating habit of constantly misspelling words presumably to remind his readers that his endearing rural characters are thorough bumpkins. I indeed think that "Jake and the Kid" in their multiple avatars played an important role in the history of culture. Unfortunately, if you missed them the first time around, you will never be able to understand the appeal that that they had in their day.

[Christine Goodnough · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a very interesting story for its day, describing life on a prairie farm, told by a master storyteller. Excellent humor in places. So overall I enjoyed it, but had serious reservations about all the tall tales and wheeler-deals Jake got up to, and his language. I gather the kid's mother had her doubts about Jake's influence, too. The kid, never named, dotes on Jake and believes all. The father in this story is away in England, fighting in WWII, so Jake looks after the farm and family in his absence.

Also, having everything referred to as "she" could be confusing at times. Lost in the blizzard, for example, "I lit out again... She was taking too long to get to the house." And, "If Jake couldn't make her catching gophers, he always told me why."

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is based in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, during WWII. With his father gone to war, a boy (whose name is never mentioned) and his mother are left to run the farm with the help of Jake, their hired hand. Jake is a teller of tall tales, which - to his embarrassment - the boy believes and tells some of them to his teacher. Jake's tales continue, however, making himself out to be a hero in historical Canadian events. Great ending.
This is an enjoyable story, which I used for the 2023 52bookclub reading challenge, prompt "Published by MacMillan".

[Sheri Hathaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mitchell is a brilliant Canadian writer who won the Order of Canada and as you might expect, I gave this book 5 stars. Every writer worth their salt should read at least one WO Mitchell book. Written in the first person point of view from the kid's perspective, Mitchell manages to use age appropriate language but covers the behavior of the adult characters. We never learn the kid's name and it doesn't seem to matter. It's the time of the Second World War and the kid's father has gone away to fight. In his father's absence, he looks to the hired man, Jake, as a father figure and becomes enamored with him through Jake's stories of his own battle heroics in earlier wars. The kid's infatuation with Jake becomes problematic. The book has a marvelous surprise ending that shows both Jake and the kid learning a lesson. You might think this book is only for kids but it is not. It could be a good book for anyone from age 10 to adult. It was made into a TV series many years ago.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to Wikipedia:

“An author of novels, short stories, and plays, Mitchell is best known for his 1947 novel, Who Has Seen The Wind, which has sold close to a million copies in North America . . and later a collection of short stories in 1961, Jake and the Kid which subsequently won the Stephen Leacock Award.”

This is a collection of short stories about a Canadian prairie farm boy whose dad is overseas in WWII, and the hired hand who’s keeping an eye out for him. These stories were radio broadcasts of a series of the same name, which aired on CBC Radio between 1950 and 1956.

Mitchell grew up in Saskatchewan and most of his stories reflect a boy’s experiences growing up on the prairies. As I said in that earlier post, I’m keeping this book ‘forever’. 5 stars

[Mark Edlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Canadian fiction - a heart warming story of young boy and their hired hand growing up in Crocus, Saskatchewan. Jake's Dad is with the South Saskatchewan Regiment during WWII. The Kid and his mother have jake to help with all the farm chores and life on the prairies. This book made me smile, sniffle and remember just how glorious the scenery on the Prairies is. One small note of concern. The last story is about Saskatchewan's celebration of its 50th birthday as a province. This would have been in 1955. There is no mention of the Kid's father returning from the war or if anything happened to him.
No pharmacy references.
Canadian references - too many to count.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess this book was okay overall. Not amazing. Some of the stories felt formulaic after a while: there's trouble, Jake has a plan, Jake outsmarts the person causing trouble, Jake saves the day!

Still, the book is worth reading for its atmospheric re-creation of rural Saskatchewan life during the 1940s.

[Stiina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming collection of short stories. An amusing and light read. Would have loved to hear them when they were radio shows. I recognize a few of the old farmers in my town in Jake's demeanor and habits...enough to give a gopher the heartburn. ;)

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great isolation book. I don't think I had read any of the stories before, but I remember hearing them on the radio. The humour, the pathos, the innovation and patience of the people are so comforting that it does your heart good share their stories.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful read. And based in rural Saskatchewan!

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love W.O. Mitchell's novels and I was not disappointed with the tales of Jake and the Kid.

[Debra Hamilton]

A collection of short stories about life in rural Saskatchewan during the 1940s. Told in the 1st person from the viewpoint of the 12 year old "kid". An amusing, light read

[Eric Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fresh and enduring reading from a master storyteller and Canadian gem.

[Beth Oehler]

I was interested to get a taste of this Canadian classic as I have been researching the history of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, the author’s childhood home. Was interesting to feel the style but I DNF.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

That’s good prairie writin’

[Rhys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories at scale with prairie winds and the big sky.

"I noticed it's not so easy to get your words to pull together in the harness they way you want them to "

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each chapter is a stand alone story set in Saskatchewan during WWII. The Kid’s dad is in Britain fighting in the war. Jake, the farm hand who is part of the family, becomes the main male role model in The Kid’s life. Jake tends to turn everything into a tall tale, claiming to be at every historic event that ever happened, often twisting events in silly ways. The Kid believes everything Jake says completely, thinking his school teacher is crazy to think she knows history out of books when Jake was actually there. The result is a funny story of the day to day life of a family struggling to farm on the prairies, all the mischief a young boy can get into, interspersed with a lot of silliness. It is a rich and delightful story about life on the prairies told from The Kid’s perspective.

It was written as a series of radio plays written for CBC radio. It is possible to find some episodes on the internet. There was also a TV series based on the book as well, some of which can be found on Youtube, I haven’t watched or listened to any of these to date.

This book is a tricky to read aloud due to the dialogue, but well worth giving the time. It took us until the third or fourth chapter reading aloud before my daughter started to get past the language and begin to see the humor in the story. I began to find the language easier to read fluidly around the same time. My parents read it to me as a child and I remember finding it funny then. There is the odd bad word but I just skipped it since it is being read aloud.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake and the Kid is a book I have very mixed feelings on. Mitchell created some of the most memorable characters in Canadian literature in this book and then puts them into a strangely structured story. At the beginning of every chapter, I almost felt like I was starting the story of Jake and the Kid over again. The whole book is narrated by the Kid, however this did not explain why the Kid sort of re-established who all the characters were (especially Jake) over and over again. Some of the chapters would have parts mentioned and continued in others, however they felt so disconnected, I felt like I was reading short stories that weren't really fit together right. Although this is not a book I enjoyed overly much, and I probably wouldn't read it again, there were some aspects I did really like. I really enjoyed the characters of the Kid and Jake, and their relationship. The way the dialect is written out had an intimate touch and the last chapter was the best of the book as it gave off a very inspiring tone.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirteen stories of life on a Saskatchewan farm during WWII, told in the voice of the Kid whose father is away fighting with the South Saskatchewan Regiment while the Kid and his mother run the farm with the help of Jake, the hired man.

The Kid's voice is surprisingly convincing and Mitchell's evocation of the prairie landscape and farm life is a treat.

This book was #36 on our 2016 Read-aloud list.

I went looking for a second hardcover edition of the book to add to the BML but it has obviously become a "collectors item" and I will probably have to settle for a paperback edition. I switched the edition pictured to the one that arrived from Motor City Books. I have no idea what he cryptic symbols following the title mean.

[Amy Brander · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's probably unfair for me to dislike this book so much considering I read it in grade school.. but god. I HATED this book! I was so damn bored. WHY would they make a 13 year old girl read this horribly boring book. I'm sure I could find something I appreciate about it now, but I'll never re-read this book. I remember how angry I was that I had to read it the first time.. I remember that line "step on a crack and break your grandmothers back"... I hate that kid.

[Scott Langston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up second hand on advice whilst travelling through Canada, this is not at all the sort of book I'd usually read. But it was heart-warming. Tales of friendship, hardship, tall tales and trust. Quite beautiful in its own way.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings back a lot of wonderful memories of growing up on the Canadian Prairies. W.O. Mitchell at his best, and most humorous.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story, a great Canadian author.

[Jim Barber · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe you have to be Canadian to appreciate this one. It did very little for this South Georgian!

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book I read in school as a kid…nor do I believe I would have appreciated it then. I am actually glad I never read this book until now when I can appreciate the nostalgic visit to the fictional Saskatchewan community of Crocus. Apparently this book was compiled from a collection of radio scripts which were produced in the 40s and 50s so each “chapter” can stand on its own as a short story.
A must-read for every true Saskatchewanian…so many relatable things…the auction…the Christmas pageant…preparations for visit from the Princess…the Kid’s entry for Golden Jubilee citizen…each chapter made me smile for some reason.
I was fortunate to grow up in small town rural Saskatchewan during a time when life was simpler and the world was a safer place. Although money wasn’t plentiful and our “world” was smaller than it is today, we were never left wanting.

I am so grateful for these wonderful childhood memories:
-fort building by the creek, the hide and seek games at night, Anti-I-over… the ball games in back yard (the ball that broke the window on your house), the ball games with the kids on the other side of the tracks in the machinery field (Who else but us would even know what a machinery field was???), the homemade cookies our Moms made for us... the best memories ever!!! Mud pies and water fights…slingshots and rubber ring guns…
-Taking a dime to the Coop and getting a pop in a glass bottle---tasted so much better!
-Taking empty pop bottles to Romey's Grocery store and coming home with a whole BAG of treats! A quarter would buy you pop, chips and you would have change!! 10 licorice babies for a penny!
-And in June...homemade root beer floats for a treat when you were studying for exams!
-10 cent pop in a glass bottle..., -it tasted so much better!!
-Harry's Cafe?
Ice cream floats for a quarter and the 3 wooden bench booths. Gathering place for high school dance nights.
And the juke box blaring---25 cents got you some good tunes!
-Playing games outside until dark and sometimes after dark! Endless bike rides all over the place
-Hiking across the field in winter to skate on the reservoir!
-Using grain doors and broken hockey sticks for rafts in the sloughs in front of the elevators, building go-carts, all the forts, raiding gardens.
-Playing war in the bushes across from the church.
-Crawling through the culverts under the train tracks and roads. So, so many fun memories of growing up.
-Walking around town in the evenings with my gang of girlfriends…there were 10 of us… singing songs as loud as we could!
-Walking or biking or hitching out to the lake for a summer day or swimming lessons with Mr. and Mrs. Weatherspoon! We’d swim and have a wiener roast for lunch…no parents.lol
-the Church supper and bazaar and the Lions’ Sports Day were major events in our lives!
In this year of Canada’s 150th birthday (and I remember well the Centennial year in 1967), I think everyone born and raised in Saskatchewan should take the time to read this little gem. I know I am now on the hunt for the radio episodes and the TV series!
Loved this book! Thanks for the opportunity to reminisce about my idyllic childhood. It’s a keeper!