Revenge on the Fly

by Sylvia McNicoll

Overview

When twelve-year-old William Alton and his father sail from England for new opportunities on the Empress of Ireland, they leave behind the graves of his mother and baby sister. Will only hopes they will leave death and disease behind them, too. But a shipmate's baby falls ill and is forced into quarantine on Grosse Ile, and when they finally arrive in Hamilton - their new home - they discover that Will's Uncle Charlie is in the hospital. Why must everyone around him get sick and die? A competition at Will's new school offers an answer . . . and a challenge. In 1912, cities around the world declare war on the fly, blaming it for the spread of the diseases - summer complaint, typhus, consumption and typhoid - that are wiping out families. To avenge his mother and his sister, Will throws himself into the local fly-killing contest. Along the way, he makes enemies and friends: Fred Aitken, the wealthy classmate who hates losing; Fred's admirer, Ginny Malone, who often must skip school to look after sick siblings; and Rebecca, a doctor's daughter who hates poor sportsmanship worse than poverty and disease. William uses ingenuity and determination to climb into the top ranks of fly-catchers, but along the way loses track of his real mission. Can he beat Fred without cheating? How much does it matter?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781772780567
Publisher:	Pajama Press Inc.
Publication date:	12/29/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	245
Lexile:	650L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Sylvia McNicoll is the award-winning author of more than 30 novels for young people. Once a financial clerk earning her English degree at night from Concordia University in Montreal, Sylvia has since been a teacher and the editor of Today's Parent Toronto. Today Sylvia is a full-time writer who also gives her time to the Canadian Children's Book Centre and Access Copyright. Sylvia lives in Burlington, Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Revenge on the Fly

2016 Rocky Mountain Book Awards shortlist

2015 Kerry Schooley Book Award shortlist

2014 Resource Links "The Year's Best"

2014 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens Starred Selection

"...a young boy learning what it means to grieve, to win, and to be a man. Reminiscent of the historical novels of Karen Hesse, this quiet story is lyrically written with a believable young protagonist and a thoughtful message of hope in the midst of trouble."—Booklist

"McNicoll’s novel offers a unique and unconventional view of the fight against disease plaguing the world at the beginning of the 20th century"—School Library Journal

"McNicoll paints a believably gritty portrait of urban life a century ago. An entertaining visit to the past with a likable guide on a spirited - if icky - quest."—Kirkus Reviews

"McNicoll never allows her characters or storyline to become predictable. Will, his father, and the rest of the cast possess individual voices that ring true and avoid cliché."—Quill & Quire

"Revenge on the Fly is a startling, thought-provoking work involving fully-rounded characters - - and no one can accuse it of lacking realism! Highly Recommended"—CM Magazine

"Revenge on the Fly is an excellent book...It will make readers laugh, cringe, shudder - and think."—Resource Links

"It's how you win, not what you win; who you are, not what you have. These are hard lessons to learn when revenge is on your mind. In a true test of successful historical fiction, we are completely immersed in Will's world, and readers will await the outcome of the competition with bated breath."—The National Reading Campaign

"It's an exciting book and one that I found riveting."—CBC Children's Book Panel

"Vividly narrating the story in Will’s voice, McNicoll brings this intriguing bit of Canadian history to life, deftly weaving rich historical detail into the tale, immersing young readers in the sights, sounds and smells of early 20th century Hamilton."—Canadian Children's Book News

"In 1912, twelve-year-old William Alton sails with his Dad on the Empress of Ireland bound for new opportunities in Canada, leaving behind the graves of his mom and baby sister. A job for Dad, an education for Will, and no more disease! Unfortunately, another baby on board the ship succumbs to summer complaint, and Uncle Charlie falls ill with typhoid; why does everyone get sick and die? On Will’s second day in school, the city health officer, Dr. Roberts, gives him the answer. One tiny little insect spreads germs and death. Will and his classmates declare war on the fly"—Middle Shelf Magazine

From the Publisher

McNicoll never allows her characters or storyline to become predictable. Will, his father, and the rest of the cast possess individual voices that ring true and avoid cliché.

Quill & Quire

Revenge on the Fly is a startling, thought-provoking work involving fully-rounded characters - - and no one can accuse it of lacking realism! **Highly Recommended**

CM Magazine

It's how you win, not what you win; who you are, not what you have. These are hard lessons to learn when revenge is on your mind. In a true test of successful historical fiction, we are completely immersed in Will's world, and readers will await the outcome of the competition with bated breath.

National Reading Campaign

It's an exciting book and one that I found riveting.

CBC Children's Book Panel

Revenge on the Fly is an excellent book...It will make readers laugh, cringe, shudder - and think.

Resource Links

Vividly narrating the story in Will’s voice, McNicoll brings this intriguing bit of Canadian history to life, deftly weaving rich historical detail into the tale, immersing young readers in the sights, sounds and smells of early 20th century Hamilton.

Canadian Children's Book News

In 1912, twelve-year-old William Alton sails with his Dad on the Empress of Ireland bound for new opportunities in Canada, leaving behind the graves of his mom and baby sister. A job for Dad, an education for Will, and no more disease! Unfortunately, another baby on board the ship succumbs to summer complaint, and Uncle Charlie falls ill with typhoid; why does everyone get sick and die? On Will’s second day in school, the city health officer, Dr. Roberts, gives him the answer. One tiny little insect spreads germs and death. Will and his classmates declare war on the fly

Middle Shelf Magazine

...a young boy learning what it means to grieve, to win, and to be a man. Reminiscent of the historical novels of Karen Hesse, this quiet story is lyrically written with a believable young protagonist and a thoughtful message of hope in the midst of trouble.

Booklist

...a young boy learning what it means to grieve, to win, and to be a man. Reminiscent of the historical novels of Karen Hesse, this quiet story is lyrically written with a believable young protagonist and a thoughtful message of hope in the midst of trouble.

Booklist

It’s how you win, not what you win; who you are, not what you have. These are hard lessons to learn when revenge is on your mind. In a true test of successful historical fiction, we are completely immersed in Will’s world, and readers will await the outcome of the competition with bated breath."

The National Reading Campaign

09/01/2014
Gr 5 Up—If readers can stomach the grisly notion of flies being annihilated by the thousands, and several more raised for slaughter, then McNicoll's novel offers a unique and unconventional view of the fight against disease plaguing the world at the beginning of the 20th century. It is the summer of 1912, and 12-year-old immigrant Will Alton has moved to Hamilton, Ontario with his father, where the local school sponsors a fly-catching contest to help rid the city of the ominous disease that is taking the lives of millions, young and old. Will yearns to avenge the lives of his mother and baby sister, prompting him to attempt to catch and kill more flies than all of the other participants. He must also grapple with an equally powerful urge to beat a rival competitor from school who cheats to win. Those who relish the notion of smashing, squashing, and swatting bugs should appreciate this novel in the same outrageous way as Thomas Rockwell's How to Eat Fried Worms(Random, 1973). McNicoll, however, fuels the gross factor even more with graphic descriptions of the fly's attraction to excrement and defecation on the same food eaten by people. This adds some scientific basis to the story, coupled with the fact that there really was a Fly-Swatting Contest in Canada. Ultimately, Will is portrayed as more than just a top-notch bug catcher; he comes to recognize that there is far more to bettering society and saving lives than winning contests. Pair this novel with Makiia Lucier's A Death-Struck Year (Houghton Harcourt, 2014) for more in-depth knowledge about the fight against rampant disease.—Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY

School Library Journal

2014-05-28
A fly-catching contest comes to dominate the life of new Irish immigrant Will in 1912 Hamilton, Ontario. Life isn’t easy for the 12-year-old. His mother and young sister recently died, money is very tight, and rich boy Fred, a new classmate, is savoring every opportunity to humiliate him. Opportunity knocks when the local newspaper offers a $50 prize for killing the most flies as part of an effort to reduce disease. The competition is ruthless, with Fred and his minions collecting thousands of flies and Will trying lots of clever tricks to pull even. Another poor child, Ginny, is besotted with Fred but gradually comes to see the truth about the bully and switches her loyalty and friendship to Will. He struggles with the ethics of his tricks, reminded by the wealthy but even-minded Rebecca of a nobler mission. While the dead-fly count reaches an awesome, even unbelievable level, an author’s note states that the tale is accurately based on a real contest. At times, Will’s voice sounds inappropriately authorial—“The pain of the fleeting memory seared at my heart, but then faded to a warm glow”—but readers will nonetheless enjoy his spunky attitude and underlying goodness. McNicoll paints a believably gritty portrait of urban life a century ago. An entertaining visit to the past with a likable guide on a spirited—if icky—quest. (Historical fiction. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews