Fort

Fort

Juvenile fiction
"I felt bad about Gerard not having any friends. I would never
torture and tease him, like J.R. and Morrie, or call him rotten
names. But did I want to be his friend? I had a sudden fear, not of
him, exactly, but of being responsible for him, even for a night..."
Wyatt, narrator of Cynthia DeFlice's Fort, and his chum, Augie,
have realized that their summer is rapidly drawing to a close. In two
weeks Wyatt and his dad are going home. They'd better build the fort
they've been talking about.
A friend of Augie's great uncle gives the boys materials. They
end up with a decent structure and start spending nights there.
Supplementing provisions from home with sling shot slain squirrel and
fresh caught fish, the boys are having the time of their lives.
Trouble arrives in paradise. Two bullies who make a habit of
harassing Wyatt and Augie partially trash the place while they're
away. It turns out the older boys also torment Gerard, a
developmentally delayed boy who desperately wants to be like his peers
and have friends.
Wyatt and Auggie make a pact. The mean boys are going down.
They are the ones who will make this happen.
Fort is a perfect summer read, especially for anyone who enjoys
the kids take down bumbling bad guys genre exemplified by the Home
Alone movies.
On a personal note, my poem, Black Lives Matter, was published in the
Maine Peace Action Committee Newsletter. I was quite pleased and
proud that it was included.
A great big shout out goes out to Antonia and her crew for putting out
this most excellent publication.
jules hathaway



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