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Angel Square
A Phoenix Honor Award Book
Young Tommy is seeing Angel Square through new eyes since his best friend's father was beaten up just because he's Jewish. Brian Doyle brings his award-winning blend of humor and wisdom to bear in this mystery that confronts the issue of racial hatred.
Young Tommy is seeing Angel Square through new eyes since his best friend's father was beaten up just because he's Jewish. Brian Doyle brings his award-winning blend of humor and wisdom to bear in this mystery that confronts the issue of racial hatred.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
5 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Brian Doyle
73 books3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
My very first piece of writing I published myself. I wrote in block letters, on the playground of Angelesca Square after a fresh snow fall, huge letters that airplanes could see, these words: MY BEST FRIEND GERALD IS A BASTARD.
For some reason (it was 1942) I wanted the Germans, who were coming any minute now to drop bombs on us, to know about Gerald. I'd overheard my parents talking sadly about Gerald being illegitimate and how sorry they felt. I thought if the Germans knew about Gerald and his problem and that he was my best friend they'd turn around and go home and not drop their bombs on us, here in Lowertown, Ottawa, Canada.
Of course, they never arrived (such was the power of radio those days) but they were the intended audience of my first sentence. First published sentence.
To communicate in clear, written sentences has been my vocation ever since.
In the middle of a teaching career I began dabbling in the genre of youthful narration in the tradition of Twain's Huck Finn. At the same time, I met the flower of the flock, the estimable, the eximious, the nonpareil editor and publisher, Patsy Aldana of Groundwood Books.
Together we have produced a dozen books and we're still cooking. The books are set in the Gatineau river valley and Ottawa. They are funny and sad! They are read by people of all ages though the narrators are young. The narrators are the age of the child who saw the Emperor's nakedness. They are clear eyed, candid, smart, unsophisticated and inexperienced.
The books have multiple layers, resulting in reluctant readers discovering them while elsewhere they are studied in university courses.
They have been translated in seven different languages and have been awarded national and international prizes too numerous to list here. They have been adapted to radio, stage and film. I have appeared in twenty performances of our book Angel Square on the stage of the National Arts Centre.
There has also been an opera and there's talk of a ballet. I have rinsed out my long-sleeved leotard and am waiting by the phone for the audition call.
I spend a lot of time at my cabin in the Gatineau Hills, sometimes with my four grandchildren and their parents, keeping in touch with the trees and the river and the rocks and keeping my ears and eyes open for those Luftwaffe bombers.
My very first piece of writing I published myself. I wrote in block letters, on the playground of Angelesca Square after a fresh snow fall, huge letters that airplanes could see, these words: MY BEST FRIEND GERALD IS A BASTARD.
For some reason (it was 1942) I wanted the Germans, who were coming any minute now to drop bombs on us, to know about Gerald. I'd overheard my parents talking sadly about Gerald being illegitimate and how sorry they felt. I thought if the Germans knew about Gerald and his problem and that he was my best friend they'd turn around and go home and not drop their bombs on us, here in Lowertown, Ottawa, Canada.
Of course, they never arrived (such was the power of radio those days) but they were the intended audience of my first sentence. First published sentence.
To communicate in clear, written sentences has been my vocation ever since.
In the middle of a teaching career I began dabbling in the genre of youthful narration in the tradition of Twain's Huck Finn. At the same time, I met the flower of the flock, the estimable, the eximious, the nonpareil editor and publisher, Patsy Aldana of Groundwood Books.
Together we have produced a dozen books and we're still cooking. The books are set in the Gatineau river valley and Ottawa. They are funny and sad! They are read by people of all ages though the narrators are young. The narrators are the age of the child who saw the Emperor's nakedness. They are clear eyed, candid, smart, unsophisticated and inexperienced.
The books have multiple layers, resulting in reluctant readers discovering them while elsewhere they are studied in university courses.
They have been translated in seven different languages and have been awarded national and international prizes too numerous to list here. They have been adapted to radio, stage and film. I have appeared in twenty performances of our book Angel Square on the stage of the National Arts Centre.
There has also been an opera and there's talk of a ballet. I have rinsed out my long-sleeved leotard and am waiting by the phone for the audition call.
I spend a lot of time at my cabin in the Gatineau Hills, sometimes with my four grandchildren and their parents, keeping in touch with the trees and the river and the rocks and keeping my ears and eyes open for those Luftwaffe bombers.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 16, 2024
First and foremost, when I started reading Brian Doyle's 1984 young adult historical fiction novel Angel Square (which I certainly now wish I had encountered in 1984, when I was a teenager), I very quickly and with huge textual delight realised that Doyle's sense of and for both historical time and place in Angel Square is absolutely authentic, is totally realistic and that readers (from about the age of eleven or so onwards) will (or at least should) therefore receive a nicely true to historical and cultural reality portrait of Lower Town Ottawa, Canada in 1945 (with the mystery and whodunit of who assaulted and almost killed Sammy's father simply and sadly because of his Jewish ethnicity being combined with both humour and equally with everyone getting ready for the first post WWII Christmas, a successful and also very readable textual melange and that I sure do majorly appreciate how Angel Square does not have Brian Doyle only focus on the anti Semitic assault, that we get a multifaceted and not one-sided text, since life itself is also like this).
Furthermore, Ottawa as a physical place, as a municipality, Ottawa's history, the aftermath of WWII and in particular the religious and ethnic animosities and challenges present on and near the Angel Square of the book title (textually shown by Doyle as being fought out mostly through minor but still intense gang like warfare between French Canadian, Irish and Jewish school children, as there are three schools surrounding Angel Square, two Roman Catholic schools, one attended by French Canadian students, one attended by Irish students and a public school where Jewish students are the majority), these are in my opinion and for me as much main characters in Angel Square as main protagonist Tommy and company are, are never even remotely just background information for Brian Doyle's featured story by any stretch of the imagination (and that I saying how Doyle's penmanship in Angel Square delightfully realistically and authentically showing 1940s Ottawa is strongly and wonderfully reminding me of German children's author Erich Kästner and in particular his Emil und die Detektive with its authentic focus on 1920s Berlin, yes, that should, nay that must most definitely and certainly be considered and seen as very high praise indeed).
However, while the continual skirmishes and changing alliances encountered in Angel Square might be based and focused on ethnicity, culture and religion (all engagingly, often humorously and equally age appropriately narrated in the first person by main protagonist Tommy, who has friends in all of the "gangs" and is as such also pretty neutral) yes and for me, aside from Brian Doyle's authentically spot on geographical and historical set-up (see above), in Angel Square Doyle's penmanship also really nicely captures the attitudes and voices of his teenaged characters and that in particular Tommy's narration is absolutely superb, well, these gang battles are generally speaking not all that dangerous and horrifying either, they are at times even a bit like the boys are playing cops and robbers type of games.
But just to say that the vicious attack on Mr. Rosenberg (which occurs off page in Angel Square but in fact is the main focussing event), this is clearly not a humorous boys' game at all, but instead a rankly vile and dangerous, a disgustingly gratuitous attack that needs solving, that requires the perpetrator being identified and apprehended. And as Christmas draws near in Angel Square Tommy and his friend Gerald manage to expose the culprit and glimpse the evil that propels him (that he is fascinated by virulent hate-inspired comics, but that thankfully, the culprit is not shown by Brian Doyle as being of German background, and with Doyle's words throughout Angel Square also clearly showing that anti Semitism in Ottawa and thus by extension and in my opinion also in Canada is not something just German but sadly rather universal, as indeed, even when Tommy and Gerald find out and report the villain who assaulted and almost killed Sammy's father is, there are also quite a number of comments supporting the culprit being textually shown, cringe-worthy of course, but at the same time absolutely historically authentic and accurate) and that at the end of Angel Square Tommy is presented as offering up his first real prayer (and one that is truly both selfless and essential, a request for a time without prejudice, gangs and the like).
Now throughout Angel Square Brian Doyle presents Tommy with his voice and his behaviour as being a problem-solver, as tender and caring towards his mentally challenged elder sister (and yes, Tommy calling his sister mentally deficient might sound horrible and not politically correct to our 21st century ears, but in 1945, this term was indeed commonly used) is ironically sensible and deadpan with a silly teacher whose notion of education is sorting out malformed sentences (which would be alright if not over-used and if laughter and humour were also allowed) and is generally fair-minded in the face of unenlightened prejudice and with most of the characters in Angel Square deftly sketched by Brian Doyle and that even prim, conventional Aunt Dottie seemingly gratuitous misogyny makes sense, since people like Aunt Dottie did exist and still do exist as well. And yes, Tommy's voice for Angel Square, how he is being presented as speaking also emphasises his ingenuity, his youth and that peace on earth is desirable but also still pretty much elusive (and finally just top point out that the Christmas thematic of Angel Square is interesting but that at least in my opinion what Doyle writes is not really about Christmas, that the latter is mainly a historical and cultural decorative trim for apprehending Mr. Goldberg's assaulter).
Furthermore, Ottawa as a physical place, as a municipality, Ottawa's history, the aftermath of WWII and in particular the religious and ethnic animosities and challenges present on and near the Angel Square of the book title (textually shown by Doyle as being fought out mostly through minor but still intense gang like warfare between French Canadian, Irish and Jewish school children, as there are three schools surrounding Angel Square, two Roman Catholic schools, one attended by French Canadian students, one attended by Irish students and a public school where Jewish students are the majority), these are in my opinion and for me as much main characters in Angel Square as main protagonist Tommy and company are, are never even remotely just background information for Brian Doyle's featured story by any stretch of the imagination (and that I saying how Doyle's penmanship in Angel Square delightfully realistically and authentically showing 1940s Ottawa is strongly and wonderfully reminding me of German children's author Erich Kästner and in particular his Emil und die Detektive with its authentic focus on 1920s Berlin, yes, that should, nay that must most definitely and certainly be considered and seen as very high praise indeed).
However, while the continual skirmishes and changing alliances encountered in Angel Square might be based and focused on ethnicity, culture and religion (all engagingly, often humorously and equally age appropriately narrated in the first person by main protagonist Tommy, who has friends in all of the "gangs" and is as such also pretty neutral) yes and for me, aside from Brian Doyle's authentically spot on geographical and historical set-up (see above), in Angel Square Doyle's penmanship also really nicely captures the attitudes and voices of his teenaged characters and that in particular Tommy's narration is absolutely superb, well, these gang battles are generally speaking not all that dangerous and horrifying either, they are at times even a bit like the boys are playing cops and robbers type of games.
But just to say that the vicious attack on Mr. Rosenberg (which occurs off page in Angel Square but in fact is the main focussing event), this is clearly not a humorous boys' game at all, but instead a rankly vile and dangerous, a disgustingly gratuitous attack that needs solving, that requires the perpetrator being identified and apprehended. And as Christmas draws near in Angel Square Tommy and his friend Gerald manage to expose the culprit and glimpse the evil that propels him (that he is fascinated by virulent hate-inspired comics, but that thankfully, the culprit is not shown by Brian Doyle as being of German background, and with Doyle's words throughout Angel Square also clearly showing that anti Semitism in Ottawa and thus by extension and in my opinion also in Canada is not something just German but sadly rather universal, as indeed, even when Tommy and Gerald find out and report the villain who assaulted and almost killed Sammy's father is, there are also quite a number of comments supporting the culprit being textually shown, cringe-worthy of course, but at the same time absolutely historically authentic and accurate) and that at the end of Angel Square Tommy is presented as offering up his first real prayer (and one that is truly both selfless and essential, a request for a time without prejudice, gangs and the like).
Now throughout Angel Square Brian Doyle presents Tommy with his voice and his behaviour as being a problem-solver, as tender and caring towards his mentally challenged elder sister (and yes, Tommy calling his sister mentally deficient might sound horrible and not politically correct to our 21st century ears, but in 1945, this term was indeed commonly used) is ironically sensible and deadpan with a silly teacher whose notion of education is sorting out malformed sentences (which would be alright if not over-used and if laughter and humour were also allowed) and is generally fair-minded in the face of unenlightened prejudice and with most of the characters in Angel Square deftly sketched by Brian Doyle and that even prim, conventional Aunt Dottie seemingly gratuitous misogyny makes sense, since people like Aunt Dottie did exist and still do exist as well. And yes, Tommy's voice for Angel Square, how he is being presented as speaking also emphasises his ingenuity, his youth and that peace on earth is desirable but also still pretty much elusive (and finally just top point out that the Christmas thematic of Angel Square is interesting but that at least in my opinion what Doyle writes is not really about Christmas, that the latter is mainly a historical and cultural decorative trim for apprehending Mr. Goldberg's assaulter).
December 20, 2024
No matter how many times I read this book at Christmas, it always restores some of my faith in humankind - Doyle's stunning ability to walk the fine line between tragedy and comedy is no where more beautifully exhibited than in this lovely novel about the first Christmas after the war, the Christmas where Sammy's father has been assaulted because he's Jewish, where Tommy undertakes to find out "who dunnit" and does and where the true spirit of Christmas is woven into the rich tapestry that Doyle paints us - in true Dickensian fashion - of Lowertown, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Planet Earth, The Universe!
Dec 2013 - once more I'm so deeply moved by Brian Doyle's absolutely exquisite - at this dark time of the year, Tommy's prayer is so a true call for tolerance and understanding - if Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising captures something of the wonder of the season and the physicality of that season, Doyle offers us its heart - generosity, friendship, warmth, humanity - superb in every way
Dec 15/14 - I'm as moved as ever by this deeply healing novel that touches my heart so much each and every time I read it - Tommy is a true hero as he seeks to find out who beat up Sammy's father - despite all the differences between Dogans, Pea Soups, Jews and Protestants, Tommy truly believes in a fair and equitable world where people can get along - and it is hilariously funny! Looking back at earlier posts, I see I haven't done justice to Doyle's masterful use of comedy to expose injustice and oh what a fine picture of the world of Doyle's childhood!
Here I am again - reading this incredible novel at a moment when the world is in such turmoil between the COVID pandemic, the Climate Crisis and the horrors of the Residential School system coming home to rest on the shoulders of the nation - and, asl always, Doyle's writing sustains me. I'm reading his whole body of work, which except for the Spud Sweetgrass novels, are part of a big delicious Proustian materpiece - talk about searching for lost time there is such tenderness, such empathy, such tolerance in these books that I don't think I could possibly ever thank Brian Doyle enough for these books. But Angel Square is the masterpiece - such a way with language! Oh my my! Thsi is some book.
Dec 2013 - once more I'm so deeply moved by Brian Doyle's absolutely exquisite - at this dark time of the year, Tommy's prayer is so a true call for tolerance and understanding - if Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising captures something of the wonder of the season and the physicality of that season, Doyle offers us its heart - generosity, friendship, warmth, humanity - superb in every way
Dec 15/14 - I'm as moved as ever by this deeply healing novel that touches my heart so much each and every time I read it - Tommy is a true hero as he seeks to find out who beat up Sammy's father - despite all the differences between Dogans, Pea Soups, Jews and Protestants, Tommy truly believes in a fair and equitable world where people can get along - and it is hilariously funny! Looking back at earlier posts, I see I haven't done justice to Doyle's masterful use of comedy to expose injustice and oh what a fine picture of the world of Doyle's childhood!
Here I am again - reading this incredible novel at a moment when the world is in such turmoil between the COVID pandemic, the Climate Crisis and the horrors of the Residential School system coming home to rest on the shoulders of the nation - and, asl always, Doyle's writing sustains me. I'm reading his whole body of work, which except for the Spud Sweetgrass novels, are part of a big delicious Proustian materpiece - talk about searching for lost time there is such tenderness, such empathy, such tolerance in these books that I don't think I could possibly ever thank Brian Doyle enough for these books. But Angel Square is the masterpiece - such a way with language! Oh my my! Thsi is some book.
July 27, 2011
Having finally read this book, I understand why teachers love this book. Set in Ottawa's Lowertown just after the end of WWII, Brian Doyle has created a rich literary environment with real children. Sparse text leaves a lot up to the interpretation of the reader. It is a very quick read that will appeal to the weak or struggling reader. It's frank depiction of violence in working class life will make this a boys' favourite. Warning: There are mature themes and language, so Grade 6 up only.
February 17, 2017
I can't remember the last time I read a book with such a slow build up to the climax.
This book follows the life of a young boy named Tommy, just a month before the first Christmas after the second world war has ended. Tommy lives with his dad, Aunt Dottie, as well as his mentally deficient sister who is two years older than him. An interesting factor in Tommy’s life are his friends, because of the division between society, Tommy’s friends come from different cultural groups. His very best friend, Sammy, is Jewish. His best French Canadian Protestant, or as society calls them, Pea Soup, friend is Coco Laframboise. Tommy is not part of any specific group, because he has no specific culture or religious belief. This makes the trip to school interesting when he has to cross Angel square. The square is where three schools are situated. Serving as a schoolyard, many different cliques cross through there fighting and teaming up as they cross. In this free for all schoolyard battlefield, you’re lucky if you make it to school with only three fights.
Tommy has just gotten the news that his best friend's father has been beat up just because he is Jewish. Tommy or the, “shadow,” as he calls himself, is on a mission to find out who and why somebody would do this.
Brian Doyle uses smart writing techniques in this book. He brings the story of a young boy to life by using detailed description here and there to harness a larger picture. Doyle uses simple routines and everyday objects we use around the house, such as a cereal box, to symbolically tell a story. Who knew the comfort and peace you could find from the millions of Quakers looking back at you from the cereal box? The writing subtly shows a struggle for young Tommy to fully understand the division between society as Tommy expresses, “I'm not. I'm not anything.” Angel Square shows the separation between cultural groups. Even the name of the book and the description of Angel square holds symbolic meaning.
The book, however, takes a long time to build up and gives you so much time between the incident and climax to bore. Even by the time you are halfway through the book, it seems as though the climax is still not being built up. As well, with so many different religious cliques it makes it difficult to keep an understanding between each one. It is easy to get lost and confused between all of them, as you progress through the book.
Angel Square is very relatable to society today. Especially in the sense of religious and nationality division. In the present day, there are so many different cultures, beliefs and separation that causes violence. There are people like Tommy who don't practice in specific beliefs or groups and may not understand the division, the cause of violence, or wanting to fight. One group in the book seems to be targeted more than any other clique in the book exactly like today. In fact the book shows exactly how one bad view on a culture can make innocent people of that culture susceptible to danger. Sammy’s dad, for example, was beaten up just because he was Jewish. In society today, innocent people are being targeted because of their culture, cliques, beliefs and religion
I would recommend this book to anyone who can focus and keep reading a book with a slow build up to the exciting climax. If you like symbolism and can find hidden meaning in small things, then this book is for you. Even if you can't pick up on some of the symbolism, you are still able to enjoy the book. I would suggest this book for ages twelve and up. Although it is an easy read, you still have to be able to understand the societies issues and recognize how it corresponds with the time and place the book is set, as well as try to compare it to our society today to completely understand some of the occurrences in the book.
This book follows the life of a young boy named Tommy, just a month before the first Christmas after the second world war has ended. Tommy lives with his dad, Aunt Dottie, as well as his mentally deficient sister who is two years older than him. An interesting factor in Tommy’s life are his friends, because of the division between society, Tommy’s friends come from different cultural groups. His very best friend, Sammy, is Jewish. His best French Canadian Protestant, or as society calls them, Pea Soup, friend is Coco Laframboise. Tommy is not part of any specific group, because he has no specific culture or religious belief. This makes the trip to school interesting when he has to cross Angel square. The square is where three schools are situated. Serving as a schoolyard, many different cliques cross through there fighting and teaming up as they cross. In this free for all schoolyard battlefield, you’re lucky if you make it to school with only three fights.
Tommy has just gotten the news that his best friend's father has been beat up just because he is Jewish. Tommy or the, “shadow,” as he calls himself, is on a mission to find out who and why somebody would do this.
Brian Doyle uses smart writing techniques in this book. He brings the story of a young boy to life by using detailed description here and there to harness a larger picture. Doyle uses simple routines and everyday objects we use around the house, such as a cereal box, to symbolically tell a story. Who knew the comfort and peace you could find from the millions of Quakers looking back at you from the cereal box? The writing subtly shows a struggle for young Tommy to fully understand the division between society as Tommy expresses, “I'm not. I'm not anything.” Angel Square shows the separation between cultural groups. Even the name of the book and the description of Angel square holds symbolic meaning.
The book, however, takes a long time to build up and gives you so much time between the incident and climax to bore. Even by the time you are halfway through the book, it seems as though the climax is still not being built up. As well, with so many different religious cliques it makes it difficult to keep an understanding between each one. It is easy to get lost and confused between all of them, as you progress through the book.
Angel Square is very relatable to society today. Especially in the sense of religious and nationality division. In the present day, there are so many different cultures, beliefs and separation that causes violence. There are people like Tommy who don't practice in specific beliefs or groups and may not understand the division, the cause of violence, or wanting to fight. One group in the book seems to be targeted more than any other clique in the book exactly like today. In fact the book shows exactly how one bad view on a culture can make innocent people of that culture susceptible to danger. Sammy’s dad, for example, was beaten up just because he was Jewish. In society today, innocent people are being targeted because of their culture, cliques, beliefs and religion
I would recommend this book to anyone who can focus and keep reading a book with a slow build up to the exciting climax. If you like symbolism and can find hidden meaning in small things, then this book is for you. Even if you can't pick up on some of the symbolism, you are still able to enjoy the book. I would suggest this book for ages twelve and up. Although it is an easy read, you still have to be able to understand the societies issues and recognize how it corresponds with the time and place the book is set, as well as try to compare it to our society today to completely understand some of the occurrences in the book.
April 18, 2025
Read this book many years ago and was deeply moved by the story and characters. The author and his work just came across my timeline and I will search out a copy and reread.
January 1, 2026
A great 5-star read to start out 2026. I see more on my reading horizon by this author.
November 4, 2016
This book is funny.
September 27, 2023
My wife, a high school teacher, teaches this YA novel to her English class, and thought I might like it for its Ottawa setting, since we live in Ottawa. It's an enjoyable, chuckle-worthy mystery as young tweens or teens try to determine who beat up a friend's father just before Christmas 1945.
Our narrator is Tommy, who, in just a few short pages, deftly describes the Lowertown neighbourhood of Ottawa, and how he must daily fight his way across Angel Square to get to and from school. The fights are between the Jews, the Irish Catholics (known as "Dogans") and the French Catholics (known as "Pea Soups"), each group having its own school facing the square. Tommy attends the Jewish school, although he claims not to be a member of any of the three groups. He also has best friends from each group. It's his Jewish friend Sammy whose father was beat so badly he's in a coma.
As Tommy's sleuthing unfolds, we learn a bit about life in 1945 Ottawa, but with a slightly absurdist perspective. The fights in Angel Square, for instance, routinely result in "Dogans, Pea Soups, and Jews... tearing the sleeves out of one another's coats and trying to rip each other limb from limb.... hundreds of mitts and hats and parts of coats would be left, dark patches in the white snow."
Tommy has several jobs and has to go Christmas shopping all over Ottawa, so we get a glimpse of what the city and life might have been like back then (if Monty Python were running the city!). Underneath the humour and absurdity is a subtly mature reflection on bigotry and hate in an ethnically diverse neighbourhood and the struggles of the working class in post-war Canada (Tommy lives with his father and aunt and mentally disabled older sister; one assumes Tommy's mother died some time ago). The freedom that Tommy and his friends have to run all over the city would no doubt shock modern helicopter parents.
I found it a quick, pleasant read. I wonder, though, what today's teenagers make of it. Some of the references, like listening to a radio drama while lying on the floor with your head under the big radio cabinet to hear it better, or a 12 or 13-year-old boy working multiple jobs to make maybe $20 a month must be nearly incomprehensible to 21st-century students.
Our narrator is Tommy, who, in just a few short pages, deftly describes the Lowertown neighbourhood of Ottawa, and how he must daily fight his way across Angel Square to get to and from school. The fights are between the Jews, the Irish Catholics (known as "Dogans") and the French Catholics (known as "Pea Soups"), each group having its own school facing the square. Tommy attends the Jewish school, although he claims not to be a member of any of the three groups. He also has best friends from each group. It's his Jewish friend Sammy whose father was beat so badly he's in a coma.
As Tommy's sleuthing unfolds, we learn a bit about life in 1945 Ottawa, but with a slightly absurdist perspective. The fights in Angel Square, for instance, routinely result in "Dogans, Pea Soups, and Jews... tearing the sleeves out of one another's coats and trying to rip each other limb from limb.... hundreds of mitts and hats and parts of coats would be left, dark patches in the white snow."
Tommy has several jobs and has to go Christmas shopping all over Ottawa, so we get a glimpse of what the city and life might have been like back then (if Monty Python were running the city!). Underneath the humour and absurdity is a subtly mature reflection on bigotry and hate in an ethnically diverse neighbourhood and the struggles of the working class in post-war Canada (Tommy lives with his father and aunt and mentally disabled older sister; one assumes Tommy's mother died some time ago). The freedom that Tommy and his friends have to run all over the city would no doubt shock modern helicopter parents.
I found it a quick, pleasant read. I wonder, though, what today's teenagers make of it. Some of the references, like listening to a radio drama while lying on the floor with your head under the big radio cabinet to hear it better, or a 12 or 13-year-old boy working multiple jobs to make maybe $20 a month must be nearly incomprehensible to 21st-century students.
April 23, 2018
A reluctant reader in grade eight had never read an entire book, but he read this one, and as soon as he finished it, he started over and read it again over the next couple of weeks. Can't get higher praise than that. Still, when I introduced the novel in class, I read a bit that had another kid actually fall out of his desk with laughter. Doyle's books read, to me, like comic books; I can't really explain what that means, but that's how it struck (and strikes me now). That's just what it felt like. Doyle seems to remember a lot about what it's like to be a boy, and the Canadiana of the forties added a fair bit of spice. Really a wonderful, light read for adults and excellent for kids. Highest rating for the excellent theme and characters, and for its accessibility.
January 25, 2020
I wanted to read this book because it had historical information and it was about an area in Ottawa that I lived in 27 years later. It was so great to picture the different streets and places that they lived in and went to.
The book showed what a different age it was right after the war.
Even though rationing was over, it was still hard to find some types of food at certain times. Turkey and even Chickens were really scarce the Christmas after the war ended.
It was a very enlightening book even if it is meant for Children, I as an adult got a lot out of it.
The book showed what a different age it was right after the war.
Even though rationing was over, it was still hard to find some types of food at certain times. Turkey and even Chickens were really scarce the Christmas after the war ended.
It was a very enlightening book even if it is meant for Children, I as an adult got a lot out of it.
October 25, 2018
This was a good book in its premise, but I felt it lacked an advanced enough vocabulary to semi-challenge even a grade seven student, making it seem a bit childish and uneducatedly written. It also has unapologetic sexist remarks against women within it. I do realize that that was the view most men had in the time frame this book when it was set, yet it bothers me to not have a small note before or after the story saying the author doesn't feel that way.
March 27, 2019
I'd forgotten about this book for a long time. Read it in grade school and my memory is a bit foggy, ergo the "middle of the road" 3 star rating. I should re-read to be more accurate.
Funny and poignant.
Funny and poignant.
February 20, 2024
I first read this 15 years ago. It holds up. Lots of heart. Fun story. Strong character voice. Really feels like a charismatic 10 year old is telling you the story about how “The Shadow” solved this mystery.
June 13, 2018
I didn't really enjoy this, but it really is aimed at kids.
September 26, 2018
Even though I have not read this book in years, for some reason it sticks with me to this day.
February 6, 2019
It’s just not a very deep layered book, I don’t care about any of the characters. Wouldn’t have read this if it wasn’t for school.
December 14, 2023
cool to read a book that takes place in the neighbourhood where I live
August 26, 2025
An enjoyable look at the life of a boy in Ottawa following WW2, with interesting observations about relationships, racism and more.
October 7, 2014
A boy works to solve the mystery of who beat up his best friend's dad.
I didn't like it. There was nobody that I loved, and was rooting for. I guess, ya, the boy had a bunch of stuff to work through - mental illness in the family, school yard fights, his friend's dad in the hospital - but I just didn't care about him enough...to care. In terms of being a microcosm of a macro world, or a metaphor for what was happening in the global political climate at the time, the boy's conflict just wasn't important enough. it was all too petty. maybe I didn't care enough, be it didn't seem like he cared enough. he kind of wandered through plot points, and the climax, where the "bad guy" is supposed to get it, was weak. instead of getting his "just desserts", he got a vague promise of future social ostracism.
Also, in terms of scouting books for my children, I'm really not interested in them reading about a young girl drawing "tacos and hotdogs" in the dirt and being called a slut. I would have had to come up with a definition of "slut" for when they asked me, and I really don't feel that there was anything of enough redeeming value to convince me that this book was worth them learning that word for.
Favourite quote: Probobly would have been from the end of the book, where the protagonist's love interest recognizes him for the young hero he is. But I can't go back and quote it, because I recycled this book as soon as I was finished it.
I didn't like it. There was nobody that I loved, and was rooting for. I guess, ya, the boy had a bunch of stuff to work through - mental illness in the family, school yard fights, his friend's dad in the hospital - but I just didn't care about him enough...to care. In terms of being a microcosm of a macro world, or a metaphor for what was happening in the global political climate at the time, the boy's conflict just wasn't important enough. it was all too petty. maybe I didn't care enough, be it didn't seem like he cared enough. he kind of wandered through plot points, and the climax, where the "bad guy" is supposed to get it, was weak. instead of getting his "just desserts", he got a vague promise of future social ostracism.
Also, in terms of scouting books for my children, I'm really not interested in them reading about a young girl drawing "tacos and hotdogs" in the dirt and being called a slut. I would have had to come up with a definition of "slut" for when they asked me, and I really don't feel that there was anything of enough redeeming value to convince me that this book was worth them learning that word for.
Favourite quote: Probobly would have been from the end of the book, where the protagonist's love interest recognizes him for the young hero he is. But I can't go back and quote it, because I recycled this book as soon as I was finished it.
November 28, 2008
From Grade 7 i remember reading it around Christmas time, it was quite the good read if you wanted to just pick it up, really enjoyable and the author is local :)
December 19, 2015
Fun read -- especially since it was from a young boy's pov.
June 18, 2016
YA novel read with ESL students
September 2, 2016
Just finished reading this again with Conor, what a fantastic story! Definitely just as enjoyable reading for the second or third time.
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