Secret Signs

by Jacqueline Guest

The Depression has ruined Henry Dafoe's life: his father has left the family farm to look for work, his mother is sick and now she's decided to send Henry to Nova Scotia to work on his uncle's fishboat. But Henry has other ideas. He runs away from home to join his father, which proves more difficult than he imagined. Alone and scared in a strange city, he befriends an old hobo named Clickety Clack, who agrees to take him to find his father. As they make their way across the country, Clickety Clack teaches Henry about the secret signs that hoboes use to communicate with each other.

Genres: Historical Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry's father is away at work, and his mother is very sick and needs to go the hospital. His sister will go to a convent school and Henry is supposed to go to Nova Scotia to be with his uncle. He doesn't want to go and runs away to look for his father. He joins up with Clickety-Clack, a seasoned hobo, and they ride the rails to Alberta. Along the way, Hank learns some valuable life lessons and the importance of family.