• Age: 8 to 11
• Grade: 3 to 6
• Reading age: 8 to 11

Winner of the Mr. Christie's Book Award and the Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award

Owen Skye is skinny and quiet and has big ears. He does everything (just about) his older brother, Andy, says, while trying to stay one step ahead of little brother Leonard, who has now started school and is becoming smart at an alarming pace. The Skye brothers live in a small rural village with their parents and weird Uncle Lorne, an eccentric and painfully shy bachelor who sleeps on a cot in the basement, takes out his teeth at night and embodies Owen's worst fears about becoming a grownup.

On his way home from hockey practice one evening, Owen catches a glimpse of a girl named Sylvia at her piano lesson, and he falls hopelessly in love. Thank goodness for life at home, where there are brothers to talk to and plot adventures with. Yet the Skye boys somehow have a knack for turning every innocent plan into a full-scale ordeal.

Alan Cumyn has written many highly acclaimed novels for both children and adults. His three Owen Skye books have won several major awards. The Secret Life of Owen Skye won the Mr. Christie's Award and was nominated for the Governor General's Award, the Ruth Schwartz Award and the Pacific Northwest Libraries Association Young Readers Choice Award. After Sylvia was nominated for the TD Children's Literature Award, and Dear Sylvia was shortlisted for the Canadian Library Association Children's Book of the Year Award. Alan is also a two-time winner of the Ottawa Book Award. Alan teaches in the MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and is currently chair of the Writers' Union of Canada.

Alan Cumyn's profile page

• Winner, Hackmatack Award
• Long-listed, Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Florida)
• Short-listed, Rocky Mountain Book Award
• Long-listed, Young Reader's Choice Award (Pacific NW Library Association)
• Winner, Mr. Christie's Book Award
• Short-listed, Ruth Schwartz Award
• Short-listed, Governor General's Literary Awards: Text

This novel is peopled by quirky characters portrayed with broad humour and a strong touch of nostalgia.

Book Review Digest

[an] elegantly written and very, very funny book.

Globe and Mail

...a wonderful, goofball story...A great read and highly recommended.

Montreal Gazette

...very funny...would be a splendid read-aloud or read-alone choice.

School Library Journal

Every moment of this story is interesting: it's full of delight for adults and hilarity for children. Highly recommended.

Toronto Star

...peopled by quirky characters portrayed with broad humour and a strong touch of nostalgia...

Quill & Quire

With a zany style and deep insight into the secret lives of boys. This book is very funny and it would be a splendid read-aloud or read-alone choice.

School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

...[Cumyn's] pitch is perfect throughout...Highly recommended.

CM Magazine