From the publication of his first novel, Hey,Dad!, in 1978, Brian Doyle delighted readers with his unique style and distinctive voice. Blending comedy and tragedy with a dash of Dylan Thomas, a sprinkle of Shakespeare and a touch of blarney, Mr. Doyle’s novels explored issues relevant to the lives of the young readers for whom he was writing. And behind each of the rollicking belly laughs was a humane and sensitively expressed desire to understand what it means to be a child.Mr. Doyle continued producing works for young readers, examining what he calls “the classic concerns, the ones...