How Many Miles to Babylon?

by Paula Fox

Ten-year-old James skips school to go to his secret place, a deserted house, where he is found by three teenage boys who force him to join their dognapping ring.

117 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Paula Fox was an American author of novels for adults and children and two memoirs. Her novel The Slave Dancer (1973) received the Newbery Medal in 1974; and in 1978, she was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. More recently, A Portrait of Ivan won the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis in 2008.

A teenage marriage produced a daughter, Linda, in 1944. Given the tumultuous relationship with her own biological parents, she gave the child up for adoption. Linda Carroll, the daughter Fox gave up for adoption, is the mother of musician Courtney Love.

Fox then attended Columbia University, married the literary critic and translator Martin Greenberg, raised two sons, taught, and began to write.

Reviews

[J. K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lured in by the title. Writing not bad but reads like a short story they make you read aloud in grade school. Pick up Diana Wynne Jones’ “Deep Secret” for a truly dazzling read that uses the old skipping rhyme “How Many Miles to Babylon” ;) and I mean really uses it in the plot.

[Mia Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good quick read if you don't want to commit to anything

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm surprised that this short novel came from the same author as Western Wind and The Slave Dancer. In my view, the whole style of the book is very different from what I've read by Paula Fox in the past. The writing is lucid, though, and the story completely readable, so I don't think that people are likely to get bored while reading it.

James Douglas is an inner city youth who, on sudden impulse, leaves school one day in hopes of finding something "out there" for him. He's not exactly sure what he's looking for, but he has a hunch that if he's allowed to roam freely for a while then he might be able to find his mother, who disappeared a while back and left him in the care of his three aunts.

What James doesn't count on is that his relatively harmless day trip will get him entangled with a small group of outlaws who want to force him into taking all the biggest risks for their little crime operation of stealing dogs for ransom. James wants to escape and return home to his three aunts where at least he knows what's going to happen in his life on a daily basis, but breaking free of his captors isn't going to be easy. He'll have to pick his spot and make a run for it then, but there could be bad consequences if he is caught.

I have to admit that I was somewhat confused by this book. It does have its moments, though, and I wouldn't say that I dislike it. The basic concept is a good one and holds a lot of potential, and the writing flows freely enough that even the younger set of elementary-school readers shouldn't have much trouble making it to the end. If you're interested in a markedly different kind of book about life in the inner city, then perhaps you might consider How Many Miles to Babylon? as a quick summer read.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Jacob was born, Grandpa told Paul that his brother was different. Jacob had Down syndrome. But, Grandpa said that after awhile Paul wouldn’t notice the change. He said, “…the difference will slip into your life like a flat stone into water,” and he wouldn’t notice it. Paul disagreed. From the day Jacob came home, everything changed. Jacob became the center of attention, and Paul began to live his life outside of the family circle as much as he could. He spent most of his time at home alone in his room behind his closed door. Paul didn’t think about Jacob any more than he had to, and he ignored him as much as his parents would allow. Then, seven years later, Paul has to take Jacob to a doctor’s appointment. He follows his brother down the street and watches as he experiences their neighborhood. Jacob visits all of the shop owners along the way. For the first time, he really notices his brother and sees how others treat him. Then, on Jacob’s seventh birthday, things begin to change.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Alexandra]

comment

[Edy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characterization of James, the main character, is well done. He is easy to empathize with. His feeling of confusion and frustration is consistent throughout the novel. It is a realistic portrayal of an emotionally disturbed boy. The three boys, while not much older, are harsh and threatening. Together they produce a tone of fright and harshness. The language of the book is simple yet poignant and poetic. The pace of the novel is rapid, exciting, and suspenseful, especially during the long bicycle ride to the boys' hideout and their hasty retreat to the old abandoned house. The great strength of the novel is the simplicity with which a rather sophisticated problem is handled, making it a good choice for the slower adolescent reader.

(This review was written in the mid-70s when I was taking an adolescent reading class.