The Paper Boy

by John Hepworth, Bob Ellis

It's going to be a bleak Christmas for the Riordans when Joe's father gets the sack in
December, 1932. The money thirteen-year-old Joe gets from selling papers is all they have.

Then Joe and his dad have a fight. Joe leaves home vowing never to return.

He lives on the streets, battling with his wits and his fists as he gets to know the city and its characters. The down-and-outs, the communist agitators, the Sallies, old Harry, his mate...

Based upon The Paper Boy, an Australian Children's Television Foundation Production

Starring:
Christopher Schlusser, Tony Llewellyn-Jones and Norman Kaye
Screenplay by Bob Ellis
Produced by Jane Ballantyne
Directed by Paul Cox

102 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 1985

About the author

John Hepworth was an Australian author and journalist, best known for his "Outsight" column in Nation Review magazine, which he edited for several years.

Reviews

[Courtney Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paper Boy is written by Dav Pilkey. This book is about a paper boy and his dog. The book goes through the very strategic and repetitive morning routine of the boy and his dog. The details incorporated by Pilkey lend themselves to sequencing. The vocabulary used opens itself to discussion with students. Although on the surface, the book is just about a boy and his dog performing their paper route, Pilkey hints at deeper lines of thinking through the text. The boy doesn’t just ride, he has the route memorized. He doesn’t just ride along in silence, he thinks deeply about small things, big things, and sometimes nothing at all. This book brings up personification by saying “the world is waking up.” This book is full of great things and is an all-around great story.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Paperboy is about a young boy who gets up before the rest of the world to deliver papers. It's hard for the boy and his dog to leave his warm bed but they must because they have a job to do. This would be a good book to read to my younger students.