Barry Squires, Full Tilt

August 1, 2020
An acerbic preteen finds tenderness amid tension, tumult, and tap dancing. Set in Newfoundland, possibly the most Irish place beyond the Emerald Isle, this novel explores the quirky, crushing world of St. John's. Readers have the pleasure of 12-year-old Finbar "Barry" Turlough Squires' company. Known for his short fuse and tendency to succumb to malapropisms, Barry longs for a reputation founded on something--anything--other than the port-wine birthmark on his cheek. When the Full Tilt Dancers, an Irish step dance group, perform at a bingo hall, he decides he's destined to jig his way to renown--but his terpsichorean efforts fall far short of his verbal prowess. The unintentionally humorous narration and luminous wit contrast with Barry's stark realities, from his mother's crippling depression to his teenage sister's unexpected pregnancy and, finally, an unimaginable tragedy that shakes his family to its core. Buoyed by adorable baby brother, Gord; best friend, Saibal, the son of two doctors who is often mistaken for a refugee; Uneven Steven, a homeless Cockney who claims to have played with the Beatles and Rolling Stones; and residents of the One Step Closer to God nursing home, Barry's quest for footloose fame instead takes him on a grand tour of humanity. Excepting Saibal's Indian Canadian family, all characters are White. Offbeat, quirky, and full of heart. (Realistic fiction. 12-18)

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