This is the story of plucky, optimistic newsboy Michael O’Halloran. Michael was orphaned at a young age and asks nothing of the world but to "Be Square!" In this a warm and joyous story, he makes life sunnier for those around him, bringing joy to all who know him, and to readers everywhere. The novel offers a unique view of America in the 1910s and was turned into a movie three times: in 1923, 1937 and 1948.