A Question of Trust [Library Binding]

Marion Dane Bauer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1994 | Age Level: 9 and up

The author of the Newbery Honor Book On My Honor presents a gripping, rewarding novel that explores the limits of responsibility and trust. Here is Bauer's formidable storytelling talent at its best.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Resentful of his parents' recent separation, Brad refuses to visit his mother at her new apartment with its "postage stamp" of a pool, nor will he answer her Friday night calls. Bribery and bullying "persuade" younger brother Charlie to follow suit. Both boys are temporarily distracted from family troubles when a stray cat wanders into their lives and promptly has kittens in the backyard shed. The challenge of keeping the animals a secret from their father (who dislikes the idea of pets) grows even more complicated when the mother cat apparently kills one of the kittens. The fury Brad feels toward his own mother, deftly paralleled by his negative attitude toward the "bad mother cat," provides tension throughout this contemporary story and prepares the audience for the protagonist's eventual unleashing of emotions. Bauer's ( On My Honor ) portrayal of animal abuse and unseemly aspects of animal instinct is graphic enough to make pet owners cringe; yet her "all's well that ends well" conclusion, in which Brad comes to terms with painful truths, will soothe disquieted readers. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-Brad and Charlie spend the majority of this novel in emotional agony, trying to ignore the fact that their mother has recently left home. They find a stray cat with two kittens, and fearing that their father will take the animals to the humane society, care for them in secret. One kitten dies and the boys think the mother, Cat, is reponsible. They expel her from the shed and nurse the second kitten using money Brad has stolen from their father to buy supplies. Cat sneaks back to nurse the second kitten, and in a fit of rage over a mother who doesn't care for her young properly the brothers almost kill her. Horrified, Brad tells his father. The whole truth comes out on the way to the veterinarian. They learn that the mother didn't kill her kitten, and was doing her best to care for the living one. Brad realizes that by leaving home, his mother was doing her best to care for him and Charlie. This metaphor works well to tie the story together. A reunion at Mom's apartment ensues. Once again, Bauer has written a novel for middle-grade readers about a difficult subject. The relationships and dialogue are believable and involving. As in her other books, there are no easy solutions or neat endings, but instead, she offers hope for resolution and healing.
Lynn Cockett, Nutley Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 130 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Trade; 1ST edition (April 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590479156
• ISBN-13: 978-0590479158
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,645,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars A Question of Trust, March 17, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: A Question of Trust (Library Binding)

I thought this book was some what sad, I don't want to give away the ending but this book is about two boys whose parents get divorced, while being sad they discover a pregnant cat. They keep it a secret for as long as they can, but eventuly they have to tell. If you like cats, you can read it even if you don't it will make your eyes water.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars " A Question of Trust ", January 12, 2000

By 

Montana Thunder (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Question of Trust (Library Binding)

This book is about a boy named Brad and his younger brother Charlie. His mom and dad are separated. When Brad and Charlie fnd a stray cat in their shed it has kittens. They have to be responsible enough to keep the kitten alive. Tuexedo hte black and white kitten is found dead and they blame Cat. So they have to deciced to tell their dad about the cats and trust them, or not?

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Question of Trust, November 30, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: A Question of Trust (Paperback)

My setting is Brad, Charlie and Dad's house and also in the back yard where the shed is. Your Characters are Dad, Mom, the mother cat and also the kittens and also Brad and Charlie. My theme is about Trust and my book is called A Question Of Trust.
Would I recommend the book yes, because it is all right it's better then all the other books I read because all the other books I read all had sad endings. This book is ok, but it shows a lot of emotion for mostly the whole gang.
The story is mostly about taking care of kittens, although somewhat the mother too. What happened in the story. There are two boys named Brad and Charlie living with their Dad and their mother but the mother moved out and now only lives five miles down the rode in a apartment. Brad and Charlie would never pick up the phone when their mother calls because they're waiting until she comes back home. Then one day Brad and Charlie see this ugly stray cat mother and they see her go into the shed and supposedly she's living there and the two boys take care of her. One day they think she's dying but she's not. All she is doing is having a baby kitten to be exact, but one dies which is Charlie's cat named Tuxedo. The next day when they think the mother cat killed the baby kitten she really didn't. They scare the mother cat out of there and then Charlie and Brad take care of the baby kitten, but then later on Charlie steals money from his dad's money tray in his room and the 20$ from his dad's wallet to buy the cat milk, food and also toys for when it gets older. Every night and after noon at 12:00 their mother always calls but they still won't pick up the phone. Later on in the story Brad and Charlie think they killed the mother cat and then they get their Dad and they rush her to the vet then they told their Dad about stealing the money and also lying about the kitten. At the end of the story Dad says to Charlie, you know Charlie, I do miss your mom and also you. Now you can go see her if you want to. So Charlie goes off and tries to catch up to Brad. When he arrives he sees Brad waiting on the steps, so Charlie goes and joins him. They are waiting until their mom gets home from work. While they are waiting for their mom, both of them are talking about the old and fun times. As soon as they both hear a door close they look up and see their mom. They just run to her and hug and kiss her. They are so happy to see her again.
It was a good ending and if I had to rate it I would give it a 10 because it was sad but it ended up happy with a good ending. I hope you read this book.

Lexie Faro