Below the Surface

February 15, 2023
Theo's hobby of researching objects found in river silt leads to his solving a half-century-old mystery. Theo--an apparently young teenager with a single mom--has an irresistible narrative voice: sincere, sensitive, funny and conversational. Readers will immediately be drawn in by his reference to "something bad" in his town's history and to rumors of a ghost haunting the bridge where he conducts his river dredging. When he excitedly uncovers an old pocket watch, Theo uploads a photo of it to his social feed and, knowing it's been underwater for decades, jokingly inquires if anyone recently lost it. Although rattled by an anonymous, threatening reply, he is determined to learn the watch's provenance. Is it connected to the young traveler who died by "misadventure" in 1967? Theo's best friend--a blond, freckled girl named Syd--provides a strong, steady complement to his timidity. The pair conduct interviews, pore over old newspaper clippings, and contact a possible descendant of the traveler. Theo's interactions with local bullies are cleverly woven into the storyline. Spoiler alert: In real life, the new evidence plus other revelations should have prompted Theo to urge local authorities to reopen the case. However, that might have created a darker ending--and the conclusion does satisfy. Characters are cued White. An engaging mystery told simply but eloquently. (Fiction. 8-12)

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September 1, 2023

Gr 4-7-Thirteen-year-old Theo's favorite hobby is treasure hunting and returning stuff to their rightful owners. When his hunting exploits uncover an old pocket watch that's been buried for 60 years, he posts it on his social media. As a result, a threatening comment tells him to return the watch or else. Soon, Theo is deeply embroiled in solving an old ghost story. With his friend Syd, the two start poring over old newspapers and contacting a possible descendant of a young traveler who mysteriously died in 1967. How do the pocket watch, traveler, and mysterious comment tie together? The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns. Characters are fairly well developed and realistic. Interactions with other characters help bring Theo's world to life. The writing style complements the story well and adeptly brings the mystery together. The layout is dyslexic-friendly with heavy bottom fonts, letter spacing, and white space. Characters are cued as white. The book is written at a third grade reading level. VERDICT Reluctant readers interested in mystery, treasure hunting, and ghost stories will want to pick this one up. Recommended for library collections where ghost stories and mysteries are popular.-Kira Moody

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