Someone Was Watching

Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/dp/0807575321/ref=nosim?tag=beyondwordsle-20

OVERVIEW: Someone Was Watching - by award winning YA author David Patneaude - is a gripping mystery novel that is easy enough for 5th graders to read, but it has a high interest level that also appeals to 7th and 8th graders. Chris Barton's family is shattered when his little sister Molly apparently has drowned and been swept down the river. But is she really gone? Chris believes he has found a clue that she is alive. He and his best friend go on a brave journey to find the truth.

LENGTH AND AGE LEVEL: The book is 224 pages, but it is a fairly quick read. It should take the average 7th grader 3-4 hours to read. The test takes 25 minutes or less. The 'Wanted Poster' project should take less than and hour.

MATURITY OR OTHER ISSUES: Parents should be aware that in the plot of the book, little Molly has been kidnapped. However, there is NO ABUSE of any kind. The couple that took her had lost their only child years before, and they desperately wanted a replacement for their child. Obviously, this is a criminal act and it is treated as such in the book. Teenage Chris uses courage and cleverness to find his sister's whereabouts and bring her home. The book has a happy ending. There is no sex, violence, or politics in the book.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: This book was published in the 1990's, before most people had access to the internet. Chris and his friend have to use paper maps, library resources, and telephone operators to track down the couple they want to find. It is interesting to see the resourcefulness of the boys in this pre-internet era.