Why teach The Last Boy?
The Last Boy is a compelling middle-grade novel that will capture readers’ hearts and minds. It tells the heartbreaking story of a young chimney sweep in 19th-century Ireland.
This book is overflowing with historical and scientific themes. There is so much to discover:
- the history of child labour and work of chimney sweeps across Ireland and Great Britain
- technological advancements in the wake of the Industrial Revolution
- the impact of astronomy and people’s relationship with the stars
- the power of mathematics to make predictions – and change one’s life
Author Eve McDonnell’s research is incredibly thorough, providing abundant detail for her readers. When Brewster joins his sweep family, we start to see just how difficult this life was for such young children.
As readers, we keenly feel each welt, blister, empty stomach and sooty cough. There is no escaping the horrors of these young lives.
What is The Last Boy about?
A petite boy, Brewster was sold to Master Sweep Wyer when he was just six years old. Now, at age 12, he makes a wish on a sky full of falling stars – to be the last climbing boy.
A gift for maths, probability and the science of the stars pulls Brewster into a life beyond his climbing family. His ability to work out calculations and predict the arrival of a magnificent comet draws the attention of a wealthy lady.
Lady Rosse has the most amazing telescope and a passion for photography. Her family’s technological interests and ground-breaking inventions call to Brewster and, as if by magic, he finds himself starting a new life in her care.
But this new life isn’t going to be easy. Lady Rosse expects great things from him in return for her help in making his wish come true.
Brewster would do just about anything to protect his climbing family and change the lives of young sweeps forever.
Starter activity
Find out more about the lives of chimney sweeps in the 1800s. How were they treated? How did they clean chimneys? What laws did the Chimney Sweepers Acts of 1834, 1840 and 1864 put in place? Did Master Sweeps obey these laws?
Imagine you live in 1875. Write a newspaper report about the tragedy of George Brewster’s death or about the Chimney Sweepers Act of 1875. Include key facts and quotes from people at the scene.
Kate Heap is a primary English consultant and children’s book reviewer. She is also the author of the Developing Reading Comprehension Skills series.
