The Retired Kid: 06/01/15

The Retired Kid by Jon Agee is the story of a boy who decides he's done with school and chores and basic responsibility. He says goodbye to his family and his friends in San Mateo, California, and retires to Florida.

Brian's story revolves around the ridiculous situation of a child living in a retirement village. Of course in reality these places usually have an age limit (55 and up, for instance). Some don't even allow children as guests except on specific days and times.

To work, then, The Retired Kid requires that the other characters look the other way, that they be complicit in his "retirement". In this regard, I'm reminded of Le Grand's book, The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Fish in which the ice cream salesman plays along with the grumpy boy, telling him all the things he'll have to do as a fish instead of harping (or carping) on about what he'll miss as a boy. Here, though, Ethel, Myrtle, Harvey, and Tex, welcome Brian and give him the full-fledged retirement home experience.

Four stars

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