The+Watcher.

Connie Chiang 8th grade summer reading August 29,2007 The Watcher, written by James Howe, is a really sad book. It shows how children are affected by family problems, and how imagination can help overcome some of the pain. The author writes four points of view into the story. There is a girl, the watcher, who sits alone on the step beside the beach watching people at the beach. There is a boy named Chris who works there as a lifeguard. There is a family who lives there during the summer. Evan, the boy in this family, really enjoys being with his sister Callie. He plays with her on the beach and makes her into a sand mermaid. He also reads bed time stories to her. No family is perfect in this book. Chris has some problems with his father. His father lost a son before Chris was born. Evan’s mother and father are not getting along with each other, although they still love each other. The watcher is really lonely, and the reader discovers her horrible family situation only at the end of the novel. Margaret, the watcher, imagines being a girl called Miranda lost on an island. Miranda has no memory, and beside her is a beast. She discovers a lovely kingdom on the island and becomes convinced that Evan and Callie are her siblings and that his parents are her parents. But the beast is going to hurt her if he finds out. She believes that Chris is an angel who is going to protect her. I really enjoy reading the book. This is a contemporary fiction book full of imagination. The author wrote the book based on how each main character is thinking. At first when I found the story a little complicated. The author doesn’t write everything clearly at the beginning of the story, but by the end of the story, everything makes sense. I also like the open end style of the novel. It makes the ending really interesting. This is a book full of feelings and sadness. It shows the sadness of not having a perfect family. I highly recommend this book to everyone.