ALA Booklist

Although Howe has certainly dealt with dark subject matter before coholism, for example 's much better known for his light, clever middle-grade fiction and picture books. Consequently, this somber, ambitious novel (about child abuse) for teens is likely to be a bit of a surprise. Howe's fictional framework is also unusual. It's a murky, convoluted narrative comprising the viewpoints of three characters: Evan, whose summer at the beach is shadowed by fears of his parents' divorcing; lifeguard Chris, struggling to find his place in a family haunted by death and guilt; and a solitary teenage girl who watches and spins a fantasy around herself and the two young men. The structure is awkward at times, and the fantasy heavy-handed. Still, the atmospherics and the melodramatics are seductive enough to keep reader curiosity high until the horrific climax, when the lives of the three troubled teens come together at last. Not a first purchase, but there's still a readership out there.

Horn Book

Margaret thinks that the families she observes on her summer vacation at the beach are happier than her own, but Howe slowly and skillfully reveals the truth--about those Margaret observes and about Margaret herself. While the book provides some small hope that Margaret--a victim of child abuse--will find a better life, the overall outlook is bleak. Somber but honest.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

The lives of three troubled teens converge at a seaside resort; PW called the work """"a blend of allegory and stark realism [that] offers a host of ironies for readers to explore."""" Ages 12-up. (June)

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3 Watching is an apt theme for this picture-book introduction to Goodall's notable studies of chimpanzees. Drawing on the scientist's autobiographical writing, Winter begins with five-year-old Jane watching egg-laying in the henhouse. The childhood years of animal watching and finding inspiration in books such as Dr. Dolittle and Tarzan move quickly into Goodall's adult travel to Africa and meeting Louis Leakey. The long, often solitary years as a watcher of chimps are the main focus, succinctly described and depicted in wide, stylized acrylic paintings suggesting the expansive forest terrain. "Now Jane watched every day, all dayeven huddled in the rain. She saw the chimps accept the rain, not look for shelter, as we do. And she kept notes about it all." Goodall's great piles of notes filling her tent are among many bits of humor tucked into the spare scenes. Her childhood is the subject of Patrick McDonnell's Me...Jane (Little, Brown, 2011). Children who are already independent readers will be intrigued by The Watcher' s hard-earned encounters with the chimps. This more fulsome account closes with Goodall's world travels to speak out about saving the chimps, a timely note touching today's environmental concerns. As in The Librarian of Basra (Harcourt, 2005) and other biographies, Winter takes readers to a far part of the world in an appealing story for children who love animals or like books about real people. Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

Voice of Youth Advocates (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

After a year of supervised probation, sixteen-year-old Porter Delancy is taking back his life. Supported by his best friend and girlfriend, he might even be able to ignore his motherÆs wild mood swings and his sisterÆs emotional crises. As a result, the appearance in his Toronto neighborhood of a strange man he dubs ôthe Watcherö is especially disturbing. Could this man, who seems to be spying on Porter, be the deadbeat dad who abandoned his family twelve years ago? As Porter searches his own memories and those of his sister, he realizes much of what they both remember is based upon stories from their motherùa horrifying saga of emotional and physical abuse and neglect. Confronting the stranger seems the only way for Porter to learn the truth about his past and his father. This slight novel has the tone of a case study in parental alienationùthe destruction by one parent of a childÆs relationship with the other parent. The plot seems especially contrived and unrealistic. When Porter learns the identity of the Watcher, the knowledge leads to his immediate understanding of the parental alienation syndrome, reconciliation with his father, and unconditional acceptance by his dadÆs new family. Among the characters, only PorterÆs probation officer, a bluntly honest pragmatist, remains in the readerÆs mind after the book is done. With its uninspiring cover art, didactic tone, and unmemorable characters, this novel will be a marginal purchase for most libraries.ùJamie S. Hansen.