By Miriam Jones Bradley
Winepress Publishing Group
www.winepressbooks.com
1730 Railroad Street
Enumclaw, WA 98022
877-421-7323
The Double Cousins and the Mystery of the Missing Watch is a 120-page work of fiction written for preteens to young teens, although it was an easy read for my fifth grader who is 10.
The story is about five cousins who meet up at their grandparents' ranch for an annual visit. Max, Carly, Dorie, Chad, and Molly learn lessons of love, forgiveness, and acceptance as they try to uncover a hundred-year-old mystery involving the disappearance of their great-great-great uncle. Things heat up when the cousins' grandpa hires Slim, a homeless man with an obscure past, to help out on the ranch. The cousins can't help but blame Slim when their grandpa's pocket watch, their only clue to solving the mystery, turns up missing. Could Slim be a heartless thief, or possibly another clue?
I think this book is a nice story about typical kids. I like the fact that the author weaves Biblical truths and the importance of family values throughout. Also, historical flashbacks featured in the book help to make it interesting.
However, my son and I both think the plot lacks the thrilling adventure, action, and suspense to which we are typically drawn. My son says he was a little bored by the ordinary things the cousins did, such as doing chores, cooking, and using the Internet to get information. If I were purchasing the book, I would probably try to avoid paying the $11.95 paperback price and find a used or less expensive copy.
On a positive note, The Double Cousins and the Mystery of
the Missing Watch was an easy book for my fifth grader to read. Completing his assignment, a book review and oral presentation, was a breeze. Writing can sometimes be troublesome for him, so I was pleased when this assignment went so smoothly. I would recommend this book to kids who are fond of traditional stories and classic children's mysteries and to parents looking for books with Christian values.
Product review by Brandi Tesreau, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February 2010
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