The Explorer of Barkham Street

Mary Stolz is an author I wish I had discovered as a kid; a winner of two Newberry Honors (for Belling The Tiger and The Noonday Friends (Harper Trophy Books)), Stolz published dozens of Young Adult and children's novels before her death in 2006. The Barkham Street trilogy is among her most familiar works, with The Explorer of Barkham Street revisiting the character of young Martin Hastings over two decades after introducing him in 1960's A Dog on Barkham Street and 1963's The Bully of Barkham Street. Martin is no longer the misunderstood bully he was in those earlier books, however. That doesn't mean he's happy, though -- he still doesn't have any real friends, longs for a happier family life, and greatly misses Rufus, the puppy he was only allowed to keep for three weeks because of his own irresponsibility. What he does have now is a dream - one of becoming a great explorer like Captain Cook and Admiral Byrd, leading a heroic life with Rufus back by his side. A baby-sitting job doesn't sound very heroic, but it turns out to be the key to Martin's redemption. The boy who used to bully Edward Frost is now entrusted with his care. As he begins to develop a new confidence in himself, he begins to make friends and to discover things about himself that help him overcome new disappointments and respond positively to change. It makes for a great and inspirational story that most children can identify with and - more importantly - enjoy reading.