The Paul Street Boys.

It was my very first book when I was 7. It is a shame that this classic for children literature is not available in a decent English translation. This story seems not very popular in the US or in other English speaking countries and it is a pity, while it is more popular in Europe where it is a classic for children. This story was written before WWI and showcases honor and an anti-war bottom line. The Boys of Pal Street depicts the life and struggle of two bands of boys for a playground. (The story of two gangs fighting for their turf today looks like so similar to many others in real streets in real cities of the eighties. However, children's ingenuity is the defining factor in this story). At the beginning of the 20th century, Budapest is rapidly changing is face and the construction of new buildings is proceeding quickly. With shrinking spaces for play, a group of schoolboys has to defend its space on the last free lot in their neighborhood from a rival group, the Red Shirts. There is no alternative playground and this lot is theirs and the Pal Street boys must defend it if they want keep on playing.Nemecsek is the youngest and the smallest boy of the Pal Street Boys and as such he plays the role of the mascot, a role too tiny for him. He is determined to show to the older guys that he is a real "member" and will prove himself.The Red Shirts is a well organized band and Nemecsek goes on his own to spy on the Red Shirts headquarters to gather information for his "comrades". He is caught and thrown into a cold lake and gets a severe cold and fever. His health worsens while his friends are ready for their frontal against the Red Shirts. On the day X, despite his bad health (no penicillin at that time!) Nemecsek cannot leave his older comrades alone while he is resting in bed, then he leaves home to join his friends. The Pal Street boys eventually prevail, but Nemecsek's conditions worsen even further and his friends have to take him home, where Nemecsek will die the very same day. Nemecsek will die for nothing since few days later the construction of new buildings in their camp begins. Double sad ending. Highly recommended for all, if you can find a copy.

This is a classic schoolboy story. It has a mixture of characters that most of us will have encountered during childhood. I think it would be ideal reading for junior and early senior school children. It has camaraderie, determination and loyalty all set against another group of boys determined to oust them from their beloved "grund" in order to play games of their own.I read the book through curiosity, after seeing the bronze statues of boys playing marbles, in the City of Budapest. I enjoyed finding the book that inspired their creation.I think it was a nice short story with poignancy, for me it had too few pages to be a satisfying adult read, I would have loved more.

My boy is still too young to read it, I read it again and now I wait for him to reach the right time: this is one book that every boy should read

I read this book in Japanese translation when I was a child. I enjoyed this great novel in another language for the first time in 45 years. Thank you for giving me an invaluable opportunity.

A young-adult novel focussing on a adolescent playground turf-war in Budapest around the turn-of-the-century -- I imagine Molnar's "Pal Street Boys" wouldn't sound very enticing to your general reader. I don't remember why I bought it but it's a wonderfully charming book. It's a bit simple sometimes, with stock-character minor characters (the protagonist's parents, for example), but is a joy to read, even for an adult. Or perhaps, especially for an adult. I wish I had read it as I child so I could compare. If you haven't read this book and you are going to, I envy you: I too would like to be sitting down to read it for the first time.