The Stranger Next Door [Mass Market Paperback]

Peg Kehret (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Pete's not afraid of anything. If there's a mystery to be solved, he's your cat. Pete is Alex's cat. And since Alex and his family moved into the new housing development, Pete is Alex's only friend, too. Things start looking up for Alex and Pete when Rocky, a boy Alex's age, moves in next door. But Rocky isn't very friendly, and Alex starts to suspect he's hiding something. And when the neighborhood is terrorized by a rash of fires and vandalism, Pete knows that he's got to investigate.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grades 4-8--Alex is less than thrilled when his family moves into a new housing development. The 12-year-old has left his old school and friends behind, and his new classmates blame him because the new houses were built over their old dirt-bike paths. He becomes hopeful when a family with a son his age moves in next door. However, sullen Rocky is not responsive to Alex's attempts at friendship. Things get worse when street signs begin disappearing and fires start in the neighborhood, one destroying Rocky's house. Alex is sure that the boy is hiding something. Part of the story is told from the point of view of Alex's cat Pete, who can understand the speech of humans, even if they can only interpret his meows as demands for food in return. The feline helps to solve the mystery and to save Alex's life. Characterization is solid, though characters react a little too stoically to traumatic revelations and events. The story moves swiftly and holds interest. However, because of the fast pace, little attention is given to explaining the motive behind the arson, which involves insurance fraud, a concept that will be unfamiliar to most children. A quick, exciting read to entice reluctant readers.
Heather Dieffenbach, Lexington Public Library, KY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. In the tradition of adult mystery writers Rita Mae Brown and Lillian Jackson Braun, Kehret introduces a new sleuth (and coauthor), observant Pete the Cat, a hefty, self-assured feline who doesn't shy away from danger or his food dish. Pete's owner, Alex, is having a rough time: his family recently moved into a new housing development where there aren't any kids his age; he misses his old neighborhood and friends; and he's being bullied by boys who resent the loss of their favorite dirt bike trails in the development. When 12-year-old Rocky and his family move in next door, Alex is thrilled, though Rocky's evasiveness and aloof behavior are puzzling. Is he hiding something? Could he be responsible for the rash of vandalism and arson in the development? Pete, of course, discovers who is behind the crimes. The problem then becomes one of making his humans understand. Kehret packs a lot of action and tension in this easy-to-handle mystery, leavening it nicely with Pete's entertaining swaggering and sleuthing. Chris Sherman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142501786
• ISBN-13: 978-0142501788
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,405,157 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've published 45 books; all but two are for children. I wrote magazine articles, short stories, and plays for many years before I discovered that what I like best is to write books for kids.
When I was twelve, I was paralyzed with polio. I made almost a full recovery but I remember that time of my life so clearly that it's easy for me to write from the viewpoint of a twelve or thirteen-year-old.
I'm always thrilled when one of my books wins a state young reader award, because I know those awards are voted on by children.
I am a widow who was married for 48 years. I have two grown children and four grandchildren. I live on a small wildlife sanctuary near Mt. Rainier National Park and I often have deer and elk in my yard.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Coolest Book Ever, April 20, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Stranger Next Door (Mass Market Paperback)

The Stranger Next Door is an amazing and a heart pounding book because a little cat ends up doing a big thing. The main characters are Alex an ordinary boy, his friend Rocky, and a cat that knows everything. The problem is that someone keeps on setting houses on fire, and the only one who knows who did it is Pete the cat, unfortunately he can't talk. The setting is in Kansas. I like it because there are problems in the book, and if you keep on reading you will figure them out. Lastly I like it because in the end Pete the cat leads Rocky to find Alex who is stuck in a burning house. So actually Pete the cat saved his owners life. You should read this book because it is the best book I have ever read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really funny book!, August 18, 2011

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Stranger Next Door (Pete the Cat) (Paperback)

I think the book is hilarious because every time the cat tries to tell the humans something, they think the cat wants food. The cat actually seems smarter than the humans in the book. The story is about people moving in. Soon after they move in, there are mysterious fires and signs being cut down. The police started investigating the fires. The funny part is, the cat knew who was setting the houses on fire and tried to tell the police. If the humans could understand the cat, the book would be very short. It also wouldn't be as funny... I would definitely reccomend this book to people who like funny books.

5.0 out of 5 stars Rescued from a house on fire!, June 20, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Stranger Next Door (Pete the Cat) (Paperback)

It starts when Alex (an 11 year old boy) was in bed and he started to smell smoke, he ran outside and couldn't believe his eyes. The house next door was on fire!!!!!!! Alex and Pete his cat have been through a lot of things in the story I can't even explain. They are pretty much the main characters in the book.

My favorite part in the book is when Alex gets rescued in a house that was on fire. To get more details, you are going to have to read the book itself. I would recommend this book to readers who LOVE mysteries!! Peg Kehret is a great writer, especially in this book. -- Grace