Module Nine: The Stranger Next Door by Peg Kehret
Bibliography
Kehret, P. (2002). The stranger next door. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.Summary
Alex's family has just moved into Valley View Estates, a new housing development still under construction. Life in a brand-new house should be great, right? Except that it isn't. As the new boy in school, 12-year-old Alex is friendless. Even worse, Duke, the school bully, calls him a spoiled rich kid and won't leave him alone. So when Rocky Morris moves in next door, Alex is hopeful that his life is looking up. Rocky is exactly his age and goes to the same school, which means he's a perfect candidate for friendship. Rocky, however, is aloof and unfriendly, and seems to avoid Alex whenever possible. Then strange things start happening in the neighborhood. One night, the Morris' house is set on fire, and Alex, with the help of his super-sleuth cat, Pete, saves their lives. The arsonist continues to strike in development, and its residents are beginning to panic. Meanwhile, someone is vandalizing Valley View Estates, removing street signs for fun...or is it? With Pete's help, once again, Alex attempts to solve the mystery and stop the arsonist before it's too late.
My Impressions
I found The Stranger Next Door to be surprisingly suspenseful and funny, and I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue of Pete the cat (shown in italics). Many readers will relate to Alex's situation because being the "new kid" and dealing with bullies is never easy. But Kehret also does an outstanding job of creating a suspenseful atmosphere, particularly during the arson scenes. At one point, when Alex's life is in danger, I found myself on pins and needles, wondering if he escapes. The Stranger Next Door is the first work of Kehret's that I've read, but I've noticed her popularity at my bookstore, and I plan to explore her books further. This is a great read for elementary school children.
Review
Kirkus Reviews
"Fans of Kehret
(Saving Lily, 2001, etc.)--and fans of cats--will appreciate this
suspenseful novel about two boys who discover friendship after facing
peril. This is thanks in no small part
to the author's resourceful feline, Pete the Cat, who "cowrote" the
novel (his contributions to Kehret's narrative are explained in the amusing prologue and are italicized throughout). Said feline also wrote a juicy role for himself within the storyline so that he figures in the solution to the mystery.
Happily for readers, while Pete's "speech" sounds like plain old meow
to his unknowing owners, his writing is perfectly comprehensible as
English. Twelve-year-old Alex Kendrill has
moved to a new housing development in Seattle with his parents,
six-year-old brother, and pet cat. Friendless at school and picked on by some bullies, Alex's spirits pick up when he learns a new family is moving in next door.
Believing he might make a new friend at last, Alex's hopes are dashed
when the boy, Rocky Morris, in fact shuns contact and is evasive about
himself and his past. Kehret keeps her story exciting and dangerous.
There are vandals afoot, not to mention a mysterious arsonist who
attempts to murder Alex in a terrifying episode in which Alex is trapped
in a house that the arsonist has set ablaze. Add to this Rocky's constant fear that his family's closely guarded secret will be found out:
they are in the Witness Protection Program because Rocky's mom's
testimony before Congress will bring down a major drug kingpin. All these ingredients add up to a satisfying, fast-paced read. Readers will be caught up in the action even as they are amused by Pete's astute observations and adroit detective work."
Use in Library
This could be used as inspiration for a mystery writing contest, perhaps as part of the summer reading program. The contest could be divided into several age groups: elementary, middle, and high school grades with prizes awarded for the top entries.
The Stranger Next Door. (2002). [Review of the book The Stranger Next Door]. Kirkus Reviews, 70(6), 415.
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