The Youngest Spy.

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

Canadians tend to think of the American Civil War as a foreign war. In this fast-paced novel by Barry McDivitt, readers will discover otherwise. The story’s hero, George Duguay, lives on a Canadian farm bought with the $200 bounty George’s father received for joining the Union Army. George’s neighbour has a son serving in the Confederate Army. George’s farmer’s clothes and humble manners cause many adults to mistake George for a country bumpkin. His appearance, plus George’s natural talents for observation and quick thinking, make him a natural spy. British and Canadian detectives ask George to report on the activities of both Union and Confederate spies who are using Toronto as a home base. At first, George thinks being a spy is fun; his worst worry is that his mother might find out and give him a scolding. But George quickly finds out that being a spy is more than a game. People can get hurt or even killed based on what he learns. In the end, George is forced to choose whether his loyalties are with his country or with a Confederate agent he has come to like as a friend.

By keeping his prose packed with action and humour, McDivitt has done an excellent job of entertaining his readers while simultaneously challenging them to understand the complex issues of freedom, slavery, nationalism, war, deceit, and faithfulness. Highly recommended.