But first a little about Sir Henry Pellatt, Casa Loma's builder. The notes at the back of the book tell the reader about the eccentric millionaire businessman who built the castle. Starting in 1911, it took 300 workers three years to build the castle, with its 98 rooms, 21 marble fireplaces and 30 bathrooms. When it came time to build the half-mile of surrounding wall, Pellatt made an extraordinary offer to the citizens of Toronto: He would pay $1, the equivalent of a day's wages, for each of the 250,000 stones required.
And now to the book: John Tommy Fiddich, a young boy living in downtown Thronto in 1911, considers himself the luckiest boy in the world because the vegetables he grows in his garden will earn him a silver dollar at the farmers' market. Lucky, that is, until hail, insects and wind destroy his garden. Eventually all that remains in the garden is a dirty, grey stone. Young John Tommy Fiddich is now the unluckiest boy in the world - until he has the clever idea to sell the dirty, grey stone to Sir Henry Pellatt.
Loading his stone into a handcart, John Thinmy trundles it through the streets of Toronto, joining the throngs of wagons carrying stones to Casa Loma for Sir Henry 's wall. Les Tait's paintings faithfully record the progression, providing a glimpse of an early 2Oth-century Toronto Yorkville and Hazelton avenues filled with horsedrawn carts; Spadina Road and the railroad bridge just below Casa Loma
But by the time John Tommy reaches Spadina Road a violent storm has erupted and his luck has turned again John Tommy's stone, washed clean by the rain, is no longer the dull grey stipulated by Sir Henry, but a brilliant white. Needless to say the stone is rejected by the foreman at the castle. It can be revealed that at the book's conclusion, John Tommy Fiddich is able, once again, to declare himself the luckiest boy in the world. if the book's ending is somewhat reminiscent of Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden, Little Lord Fauntleroy), that's no criticism: This is a very satisfying work of historical fiction for the young.