Mick Harte Was Here

Mick Harte Was Here (1995) by Barbara Park is a work of fiction written for middle grade readers. It explores 13-year-old Phoebe Harte’s experience of losing her beloved younger brother, 12-year-old Mick Harte, who dies from a traumatic brain injury after he his crashes his bicycle. Park’s novel has received numerous accolades, including (but not limited to) the IRA-CBC Young Adults’ Choice award (1995), the School Library Journal Best Book of the Year award (1995), and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year (1996).

This study guide uses the 1996 Scholastic edition of Mick Harte Was Here.

Plot Summary

In the opening chapter, the narrator, 13-year-old Phoebe Harte, addresses the reader directly. She reveals that her 12-year-old brother, Mick Harte, has died recently. One month earlier, his bike skidded on a rock on the road, and he collided headfirst with a truck. Mick suffered from a traumatic brain injury which led to his death.

In a series of flashbacks, Phoebe characterizes her younger brother as vivacious and eccentric, with a great sense of humor. She recalls a time, years earlier, when Mick wrote “fart” in the setting concrete of their new driveway, and then claimed that a monkey did it.

In Chapter 2, Phoebe takes the reader back to the morning of Mick’s accident. Phoebe and Mick wrestle over a prize in a cereal box. Phoebe swears at Mick (which she later regrets). Mick is angry at her that morning, but has clearly forgiven her at school, when he asks whether she will ride his bike home for him; he has a meeting at a friend’s house to rehearse their announcement of an upcoming basketball game. She declines, explaining that she has soccer. Later, Phoebe dwells on this, feeling immense guilt and regret that Mick may not have died if she had agreed to ride his bike home.

Phoebe hears an approaching ambulance at soccer practice, and feels a sense of foreboding. This turns out to be the ambulance for Mick, who has crashed his bike outside of the school. Phoebe learns about the accident from her soccer coach and is taken home by Zoe Santos’s mother; Zoe is Phoebe’s best friend and lives across the road from the Hartes. Phoebe and Zoe wait fearfully for news on Mick’s condition. Mr. Harte arrives at the Santos’s house from the hospital and tells Phoebe that Mick has died.

The Harte family spend the next few days in horrified and grief-stricken anguish. They can barely eat or talk to each other. They sob inconsolably. Phoebe refuses to let her father close Mick’s bedroom door, but also cannot bring herself to enter his bedroom. Zoe faithfully calls, but Phoebe cannot talk about the accident and finds school news banal in light of Mick’s death. At one point, Phoebe angrily hangs up on Zoe when Zoe tells Phoebe about how the grief counselor is making kids at school feel better; Phoebe doesn’t think that anyone should be feeling better.

Phoebe finally goes into Mick’s room to look at his “treasures,” including signed autographs, fly swats, and a cigar. She laughs aloud at his funny collection. Mick’s ashes are interred. Phoebe tries to talk to her mother about Mick’s death, but Phoebe’s mother covers her ears with her hands and goes outside.

Phoebe calls Zoe and finally talks in detail about her feelings about Mick’s death and the accident. Phoebe finds this cathartic and helpful. Zoe comes over and they decide that maybe, seeing God is all around them, Mick is now also all around them. This brings comfort to Phoebe, who misses Mick immensely.

A memorial service is held in Mick’s memory; people exchange funny memories of Mick. Phoebe reflects how like Mick it is to make people laugh at his own service. Phoebe returns to school. She overhears people in the hallway talking about her, but none of her friends (apart from Zoe) say anything about Mick; this makes Phoebe angry.

The principal tells Phoebe that she is sorry for her loss. Phoebe angrily retorts that Mick is dead, not lost. Phoebe runs home and lies in Mick’s bed, which still smells like him. She falls asleep and has a vivid dream of searching for, and finding, Mick. Their old dog, Wocket, who died the previous year, is also there. Wocket the dog laughs in the dream, which sounds ridiculous and hilarious.

Phoebe wakes up laughing. Her mother comes to the door of Mick’s room, having heard Phoebe. They recall Mick’s antics on a recent family road trip, and both laugh. Phoebe’s mother comes into Mick’s room for the first time since his death and lies on his bed with Phoebe.

The family eats at the dining table for the first time since Mick’s death. Phoebe’s grandmother (who has come to stay from Florida) sets their places all wrong, which turns out to be a good thing as it does not draw attention to Mick’s empty place.

Phoebe is asked to participate in a special school assembly on bicycle safety. She is initially appalled, feeling that it is awful and inconsiderate timing, but later she decides that she does want to be involved. She shows the assembled children Mick’s still brand-new bicycle helmet, which he refused to wear. She hopes that her speaking out about the importance of helmets will help to prevent another needless death like Mick’s. She finds a semblance of closure and new-found purpose in this.

In the novel’s concluding chapter, Phoebe sits on the soccer pitch after practice and thinks of her brother, remembering fond memories of playing with him there. She waits until a group of construction workers nearby have packed up and left, then finds a stick and writes “MICK HARTE WAS HERE” in the wet concrete (88).