From Publishers Weekly
Latchkey kid Michael is 13 and independent. Even though junior high school is no picnic, and his widowed mother seems to be getting awfully chummy with their tenant, Nick, Michael is pretty happy. Then, just before Christmas, he has the creepy sensation that someone is watching him. His key is missing for a while, and he keeps hearing suspicious noises in the house when he's there alone. In discovering the culpritNick's son (abducted by his mother after a bitter divorce years before)Michael realizes that he is lucky to have his mother, and potentially a decent stepfather. This well-crafted, high interest/low reading level novel promisesand deliversa first-rate story. Bunting's characterizations are strong and believable, and her attention to detail, like the descriptions of Michael's home-built bike and school friends, makes the book thoroughly satisfying. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8 A mildly scary story about a 14-year-old latchkey boy who discovers that someone is using his hidden house key. Tension builds as Marcus finds objects missing that negate common robberya clock, food, a sleeping bag. While the mystery takes center stage, two subplots involve Marcus' concern about his widowed mother's growing relationship with Nick, the man who lives upstairs, and Anjelica, a girl in his class who is interested in him. Characters are well drawn, particularly the mother and Nick, both of whom are well-meaning, caring people who obviously like and respect kids. Bunting does an admirable job of showing how time drags while Marcus waits in the empty house, as well as of developing Marcus' conflicting feelings about Nick and Anjelica. With its easy sentence structure and vocabulary and attention-getting first chapter, this is likely to have appeal to reluctant readers as well as non-demanding mystery fans. Trev Jones, ``School Library Journal''
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
