Customer Reviews

The Stranger Next Door

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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

The Stranger Next Door is a well-written mystery by Peg Kehret and Pete the cat. Pete's thoughts and dialogue are in italics, but the trouble is, all the humans hear is cat yeowling. Kehret hits the mark with the cat's descriptions, behavior and personality--quite realistic and believable once the reader allows his imagination to encompass the possibility of cat personification . Students clamor for stories involving animals, so this should be a welcome addition to the repertoire. The events that take place in this story are very real dangers in our antagonistic world, and the characters' fears and reactions are authentic. A couple of drawbacks diffuse the sinister element of the story, perhaps to make it suitable for young readers. The character who commits one of the crimes is brought up on charges of arson and insurance fraud, but the charge of attempted manslaughter is glaringly omitted. A huge annoyance is that the overall tone is too 1950s. Adult characters are referred to, rather stiffly, by their surnames, or in one case as "Mother.' Mrs. Kendrill opens the door holding a mixing bowl and spoon, and Benjie, the first-grade brother of Alex (the principle character, aside from Pete) acts more like a 4-year-old. A combination of Leave It to Beaver and Lassie, today's young readers may welcome this story which reiterates those classic programs.

I read this book after discovering several 4th grade girls giggling over it in the corner of my library. They were reading it aloud to each other with one being the humans and one being the cat and having a great time. Any book that interests kids that much without it being something that adults wouldn't want them to read has to be OK.

Being a true fan of Sneaky Pie Brown, I found some of the dialogue of Pete a little bit too similar and the plot was a bit on the weak side but still a fun book for kids -- epecially the animal lovers. I plan to buy a few more of the series now.

my teacher made me read this book or i never would have picked it up...
even though i had to read a book i am glad it was this one because it was somewhat interesting and iwas not bored during the process of readong it.
i recomend this book becuase i HATE reading, but it was somewhat of a good book. SPOILERS ARE BEYOND THIS POINT AND IN THESE BRACKETS[alex meets a new friend named rocky whos mom is in the witness protection program becuase she got a call from her ex-husband who is now a drug smuggler. alex gets kidnapped by his land lord ,after discovering that he is an arsonist commiting insurance fraud, and in tied up in a burnig bathrooom locked from the outsidehe gets saved by a cat because it led rocky into earshot of alex's scatchy voice calling for helpsomewhat of a happy ending but nothing else bad happens...rocky's mom wins the trial against her ex-husband the drug smuggler][THE END/FIN]

This book keeps you on the edge of your seat when you read it. There is this kid and his name is Alex and he and his family just moved into this brand new house just built. The neighbour hood is called Valley View Estates. There is this new family moving in next to him and he hopes there is a boy his age moving in. This book was great and it was over in a jiffy!

The Kedndrill family moved to a new housing development. The Morris family had to move from Washington to South Calaforina because they are in the witness protection program and the reason they are in it is because Rocky's dad is a drug dealer and the morris helped the FBI get him. The mob wonts to kill them so the moved. Rockys mom had to go back to washington to testify against Rocky's dad. While she is gone there house is set on fire by the owner of the house. The cat saved the morris because he sleep out side and saw the fire and went back in the house to wake up Alex. Two days later there was two more fires. Alex was taken hosage and was put in one of the house taht was getting set on fire. The cat was trying to save Alex but no one would follow him to the house. Alexs dad saw the flames and called the fire department. The cat tryed to save alex but he got hit with a board that was on fire. Pete passed out and when he woke up Alex was out of the house and pete fwas going to the vets.

The Stranger Next Door is about a cat named Pete and two kids, Alex and Clifford. Clifford must change his name, he doesn't even know why until later. Clifford must leave everything behind including Rocky, his dog, and therefore makes his nickname Rocky. Ricky's new house is next door to a new kid's. The new kid is Alex.
Alex and his cat, Pete, just moved into a new town. There is a new family moving next door, and Alex is happy about that. Soon the house next door is burnt down. Rocky, the kid next door, is inside. Pete saves the day by waking up Alex. Alex wakes up his parents and they wake up the Morris', Rocky's family. The string of fires doesn't stop. Alex must find out who did them.
This book is a wonderful story and I would recommend it for kids of ages 10-12. The only thing about this book that I find a little bit strange is the author says that anything in italics their cat, Pete, has written. I think that this book has its ups and downs but it is a fantastic book over all. It is a nominee for the Massachusetts Book Award, and that is a great honor.

There is a new kid on the block and his name is Alex. He has to start at a new school, and he also has to make new friends. On his first week of school he gets bullied by these two boys, they say the only reason why they dont like him is because he lives on their dirtbike trails. You see alex's house is brand new. Were the houses are thats where their dirtbike trails were. Thats why they are mean to him. Then this new kid moves next door. Alex thought that it is going to be really hard on him hes new and he lives on their dirtbike trail also. At lunch that day alex decided to sit by the new kid. HE sat down and introduced himself and the boy didnt say anything. After that the bullies came and was making fun of the boy. Alex and Rocky the new kid start to talk then a big accident happends.! the book was one of the best books i have ever read!!!!