The Popsicle Journal

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

Readers first met Harper Winslow in The Tuesday Cafe (1996) and have
since followed his life happenings in A Fly Named Alfred (1997) and A
Beautiful Place on Yonge Street (1998). Although readers will be pleased
to encounter Harper again, episode four lacks the plot strength of the
previous works.

The book’s title refers to Harper’s column in The Emville Express,
a community newspaper where Harper is a work-experience student. His
antagonist is Rufus Monahan, a work-experience student employed by The
Recorder, a competing weekly. Since Harper’s father is running for the
mayor’s office, Harper is anxious that the ambitious, seemingly
unscrupulous Rufus may write something damaging to Mr. Winslow’s
electoral chances. When Harper learns that his older sister, Clarissa,
is an alcoholic, he fears this fact could be used against his father.
While covering the court beat, Harper sees Clarissa’s name on the
docket, the charge being impaired driving causing injury. Because
Clarissa lives in Edmonton and uses her married name, Harper realizes he
can bury the story but struggles with his journalistic responsibility to
report the news, even if it is embarrassing and damaging to his family.

While overall an okay read, the resolution to the Harper–Rufus
conflict comes too quickly and easily, and despite Trembath’s
developing the characters of Harper’s co-workers in the book’s
opening sections, he then largely abandons them. The Popsicle Journal,
while standing on its own as a separate read, includes passing
references to happenings in the other three titles and gives two of
their characters, Billy and Sunny, cameo appearances. Recommended with
reservations.