The Otterbury Incident facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Cecil Day-Lewis |
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| Illustrator | Edward Ardizzone |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Putnam & Company (UK) Viking Press (US) |
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Publication date
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1948 |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 148 pp |
The Otterbury Incident is an exciting adventure novel for children. It was written by Cecil Day-Lewis and first published in the UK in 1948. The book features illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. This was Day-Lewis's second and last children's book. The story is based on a French movie script from 1941 called Nous les gosses (which means "Us Kids").
Contents
The Story of The Otterbury Incident
Life in Otterbury After the War
The story takes place right after World War II in a made-up English town called Otterbury. The war didn't hit Otterbury too hard. Only one bomb fell by accident, damaging a few buildings. This damaged area is known as the "Incident." It's where two groups of boys from King's School play war games.
There's Ted's Company, led by 13-year-old Edward Marshall. His second-in-command is George, who tells the story. Nick, Charlie, and Young Wakeley are also in Ted's group. The other group is Toppy's Company, led by William Toppingham, also 13. His friend Peter Butts is with him, along with a boy called Prune.
A Broken Window and a Big Problem
One day, after a big war game, the boys are kicking a football. Nick accidentally kicks it right through a school window. The headmaster, who the boys are very scared of, tells Nick he has to pay for the damage. The cost is almost five pounds. This was a huge amount of money back then, far more than a schoolboy could ever have.
Nick lives with his aunt and uncle because he lost his parents in the war. They are not very kind to him. Nick is terrified to tell them about the window. When he finally does, he gets into big trouble. His uncle even threatens to sell Nick's puppy.
Operation Glazier: Raising Money Together
Ted feels that all the boys are responsible for the broken window. He reminds them of the motto "One for all and all for one" from The Three Musketeers. Their English teacher, Mr. Richards, is reading this book to them. So, the boys decide to work together to raise the money for Nick.
Ted and Toppy sign the "Peace of Otterbury." This means their gangs stop fighting for a while. They team up to start "Operation Glazier." Over a long weekend, they try many ways to earn money. Charlie Muswell leads them in busking (playing music for money). They shine shoes and even clean windows as the "Kwik-Klean Co." Some boys perform acrobatics. Toppy's sister, Miss E Toppingham, draws quick sketches.
The Missing Money and a New Mystery
Operation Glazier earns more than enough money. But then, the money mysteriously disappears! It was supposed to be safe with Ted and his older sister, Rose. Toppy first thinks Ted took the money. Ted is left alone, except for George and loyal Nick.
Soon, Toppy realizes the real thieves are Johnny Sharp and his friend, "The Wart." Johnny Sharp is a tricky local criminal. The boys decide to become detectives to get the money back. They follow The Wart, trying to make him confess. But Johnny Sharp shows up, threatens them, and locks them in the local church tower.
Escaping and Uncovering a Crime Ring
The boys manage to escape the church tower. They rethink their plan to catch Sharp and The Wart. They had seen these men with a local merchant named Skinner. The boys suspect the missing money might be at Skinner's warehouse. This warehouse is right across from the "Incident" bombsite. The boys are scared of Skinner, who is a big, bad-tempered man.
Ted and Toppy use their war game skills to plan a raid on Skinner's warehouse. Inside, they find evidence of much bigger crimes. Skinner and his gang are dealing in illegal goods and making fake money. Skinner, Sharp, The Wart, and another man suddenly return while Ted and Toppy are inside. Toppy escapes, but Ted gets trapped. Johnny Sharp captures him.
The Final Battle and Heroes
The other boys are still outside the yard, ready to attack. George runs to get the police. The rest of the boys start a big fight to rescue Ted. They manage to overpower and tie up The Wart and Skinner. Nick bravely attacks Sharp, saving Ted, but gets hurt in the process.
Sharp runs away, with the boys and the police chasing him. He tries to escape in a small boat on the river. But Peter Butts launches a firework at the boat, flipping it over. Sharp is caught!
School Assembly and a Happy Ending
The story ends at a school assembly. The headmaster is upset with the boys for breaking into Skinner's property. He also thinks their money-making schemes were not proper for the school's image. However, Inspector Brook praises the boys for finding the criminals.
Because of Inspector Brook's praise, the headmaster changes his mind. He says the school will pay for the broken window. The missing money was never found. The boys promise to leave future crime-solving to the police.
The story is told by George, who is one of the "officers" in Ted's war game army.
