Payback [Hardcover]

James Heneghan (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Thirteen-year-old Charley Callaghan is coping with some difficult changes. His family has recently moved to Vancouver from Ireland, and his mother has died of cancer. Now he is desperately trying to fit in — in a new school, a new city, a new country — while holding a part-time job and keeping an eye on his little sister, Annie. Charley’s red hair and Irish accent at first make him a target of the class bullies, but he is tough enough — just — to keep them at bay. So it is almost a relief to him when the bullies find a new target, Benny Mason. Charley keeps hoping that Benny will defend himself, but he fails to intervene. When Benny commits suicide, Charley is overcome with remorse and guilt. He visits Benny’s single mom, Joanna, but instead of confessing, finds himself trying to make amends by doing chores, running errands, and befriending Benny’s little brother. Can Charley find atonement for failing to act? James Heneghan's trademark narrative drive, vivid characters, and strong social message make this a striking study of loss and renewal.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—Charley Callaghan has just moved from Ireland to North Vancouver and is starting eighth grade. He's trying to "speak like a Canadian" to fit in at school; he's trying to cope with the death of his mother; he's trying to help care for his withdrawn younger sister; and he's bullied because of his accent. Charley takes readers into his world, telling the affecting story of how, in the midst of all this, he watches another new kid suffer even worse torment than he does because he is effeminate and possibly gay. When Benny takes his own life, Charley deals with his intense guilt about not defending him and attempts to make up for it, to "pay back," by helping the boy's agoraphobic mother. This is a startlingly poignant novel. Charley's compelling, straightforward voice rings true and builds trust in his audience by exposing his most wracking emotions. This is, ultimately, a story about guilt and honesty, about trying to help others when we need so much help ourselves. Readers will find a character or situation to identify with and will admire the means by which Charley achieves some peace of mind.—Riva Pollard, formerly at The Winsor School Library, Boston
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

"I didn't stand up for him. I just watched." After his eighth-grade classmate Benny commits suicide, Charley blames himself. Why did he refuse to be Benny's friend? Why did he do nothing when he saw the bullies torment Benny and call him "fag"? Was it because, as a new Irish immigrant in Vancouver, Charley himself was threatened and bullied? The messages about the bystander's position are overt and include Martin Niemoller's famous quote about the Holocaust ("Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then . . ."). But the drama of guilt, sorrow, and redemption is honest and heartfelt, told in Charley's spare, fast, first-person narrative, as he grieves for his recently dead mother, nurtures his little sister, and helps Benny's mom. Benny's father is a dark, monstrous villain, but the other characters are well drawn, including the school authorities, who do nothing. A good title for group discussion. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Groundwood Books (March 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888997019
• ISBN-13: 978-0888997012
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,025,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Powerful Read!, September 15, 2008

By 

Sandra McLeod Humphrey "Children's Author and... (Minnetonka, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Payback (Paperback)

At first, Charley is relieved when the school bullies at his new school stop picking on him and shift their persecution to Benny Mason, a gentle soul who never stands up for himself against the bullies. Charley is torn between helping Benny and playing it safe by not getting involved--after all, he tells himself, Benny's problem is not his problem. After Benny takes his own life, however, Charley feels the need to somehow make amends in some way for not being there when Benny needed him. A powerful story that focuses on the crucial role of the bystander in bullying situations.