A Pocketful of Cinders

About this book

In the freezing winter of 1899 New York, twelve-year-old Thomas Finch manages a newsstand, leaning heavily on a wooden cane. He has won his independence, but lost his best friend, Barnaby. From this bittersweet ending, the novel's timeline flows in reverse, stepping backward month by month to uncover the dramatic choices that shaped Thomas's fate. As the clock rewinds, readers witness the harrowing climax of a factory fire, the painful sting of betrayal, the rising tensions of a children's strike led by the idealistic Clara Dempsey, and finally, the innocent spring days before corrupt factory foreman Silas Higgins changed their lives forever. By unraveling the story backward, this historical drama reveals how a reluctant boy who only wanted to hide from the world was forced to become a hero, exploring the deep complexities of friendship, loyalty, and the hidden costs of standing up for what is right.

Book details

Genres:

Drama, Historical Fiction, Coming-of-Age

Language:

en

Published:

2026-05-25

Content rating:

PG