Like most Algers, fun fluff if taken in small doses (one or two books at a time). I quite like Bert; he's a reasonable boy, not an instant millionaire nor otherwise pushing the envelope. He's good at saving and working - but since he's been doing it just about all his life, that's not surprising. I love Uncle Jacob and his tricks, though I had it figured out before Bert went to him in New York. And Bert's very convenient turn on the stage was fun. Inasmuch as there were any fully-fledged characters, many of the lesser ones were - that is, nobody was really complex, but even the minor characters were made up of more than a single quirk. And Albert got his comeuppance quite thoroughly. There's a chance Percy might rise above his family - but that would be another story. Fun, though I doubt it would be worth rereading. ( )