Uncle Shamus

by James Duffy

Two poverty-stricken youngsters from shantytown plan for a lonely summer, but gentle Uncle Shamus--a blind, elderly ex-convict--involves them in an unforgettable scheme when he asks them to help... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684194341
• ISBN13: 9780684194349
• Release Date: April 1992
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 132 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Shamus' old trick

This book was one of the best I have ever read. It mixes suspense with mystery. it has a perfect amount suspense to make this story an original. Akers Johnson lives in a poor place called Shanty Town when suddenly an old, blind man moves in to one of the neighboring houses. Uncle Shamus (the old man) fixes Akers shoe for him. Shamus convinces Akers to be his errand boy the soon after Marleena helps out. A suspicious character comes and the three have to work togethor to get rid of him. this book will be very tempting and i warn you that you will stay up late to finish the book no matter the cost of your sleep.

Uncle Shamus

The plot of the book is in an old town. Shanty Town is its name. It's in Oklahoma, a place where people are cut low on money and doesn't have great jobs. It's a place were whites and blacks live together. In the story they wind up helping each other. Akers Johnson is a character in this story he is a 10 year old third grader, who lives with his mom. His shoes are 3 sizes to small for his feet. Marleena Radford is another character she lives with her mother and her father but her father is sick with lung cancer. One day Akers was walking to school like he does every morning but this morning was different Akers noticed that a man moved in 2 blocks away from his house so before he was 25 feet away the man said "Hey boy may I speak to you." So Akers went up to the house and he noticed that the man was wearing sun glasses Akers thought to himself but it isn't sunny. The man said "Hi I'm shamus but you can call me Uncle Shamus what's your name" Akers then had to make a decision whether talk to the man or to run either way he winds up in a wild adventure. I thought the story was really cool and it explained that you have to value each other and respect other people. It was a great adventure all the way to the very end the book was an adventure from the time the kids met Shamus to the time he left for California. The Johnson family and the Radford family learned something from Uncle Shamus they learned that it doesn't matter if you have nothing at all but if you have each other that's all you need . The kids learn during the story that Uncle Shamus was released from a State Penitenry the children want to no why he was in prison but he just won't tell them. I can't tell you how the story ends so I guess you'll have to read it yourself.