Secret Signs

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Harvard,
Massachusetts.

The drought has destroyed the crops, and with the whole country beset by
the Depression, 12-year-old Henry’s father leaves the family farm to
find work in Winnipeg. When Henry’s ill mother must go to a hospital,
his sister is sent to stay with the nuns at the convent school and Henry
must go to live with his Uncle Paul in Nova Scotia. But Henry does not
want to work on his uncle’s fishing boat, so he runs away to find his
father.

Henry’s search takes him to the rail yards in Winnipeg. He meets an
experienced hobo who agrees to take him to the Glenmore Dam Project in
Alberta where Henry believes his father has gone to work. Along the way
Henry lives the hobo way of life himself. He learns how hoboes make
signs to assist each other to find work, a meal, or a place to sleep,
and also to avoid trouble. Henry learns that even hoboes depend on the
kindness of strangers and help from each other to get by.

Young readers who choose Secret Signs to read will be treated to a good
adventure story and a bit of history as well. Along with its exciting
plot and interesting subject matter, the book has many examples of how
the Depression affected people, and how they managed in different ways
to take care of themselves and their families. Readers may identify with
Henry as he grows through his experiences; his development adds an
appealing personal dimension to the story. Highly recommended.