The Watcher

Rating:
Summary: I Couldn't Put it Down
Review: The Watcher is one of the most amazing and beautifuly written books I've read. Words cannot express this book, but I'll try. Margaret is "the watcher", a mysterious girl who is commonly found sitting by the beach, just watching. Nobody really knows anything about her, they think she's just some weird kid. But really Margaret's life is complicated and tormenting. She is stuck in a deep, dark hole and can't escape. Her mind weaves stories of perfect familes and perfect lives, made up of the "perfect" people she sees on the beach. But are these people really so perfect? Margaret is intrigued by Chris, a seemingly care-free lifeguard. To some he appears shallow, even stupid. Really, his life is constanly being tormented by a memory which isn't even there, a memory of his brother which he lost even before he was born. Then there's Evan. Evan lives a seemlingly perfect life. He spends his time with his little sister Callie and his seeminlgy perfect parents. But behind their cheery faces, his family is in great pain. His little sister is constantly worried about her parents fighting, and their parents are constantly trying to hide their unhappiness from their children. How could all these charectars, who seem so different, really be so close? This book is, once again, amazing. The ending is thought provoking and ties everything together. I urge you to PLEASE read this book. It will stay on your mind long after you've finished it.

Rating:
Summary: The Watcher
Review: This book is one of the best books I've ever read written by James Howe. The author describes the characters in great detail. It tells how you can't judge a person by their appearance.It's like the saying you can't judge a book by its cover. The author explains how the watcher judges Evan and Callie's family saying that they have a perfect family, but really the parents were maybe going to get a divorce. The author also explained how the watcher was depressed and was abused. This book was one of my favorites and I recomend it.

Rating:
Summary: An Instant Winner!
Review: 3 different characters
2 powerful messages and
1 strong story

These are the ingredients that make the book, The Watcher, an instant winner from first chapter to last.

The story of 3 differnt charatcers, Margaret, Chris and Evan, who's lives intertwine together, has got to be my favorite theme, in either in films or novels. I'm not a big fan of reading, but after realizing it's intriguing story, I had to get flipping through the pages immediately.

The 2 main messages of the book has got to be love and family. Each of these relatable charatcers has these themes in their story. The background information that we get from these characters are all heartbreaking, especially Chris', who's loss will get every reader into tears. For Evan, his family is falling apart, with the issue of his parents divorce lurking around the corner. As for Margaret, she also has a story that will be releaved in the end, with very descriptive detail that has the elements of suspense and sadness.

This book's master mind is James Howe, the author, who seemingly blends into each characters story very well giving them equal time and enough life, which gives the idea that these characters could really be living today. I would like to see this book turned into a film because It would be great to see these charatcers come to life with the great descriptions of the time and nature that seems to be around suburban California.

Overall this 1 strong story, should be read be teenagers aged 13 and up, I would also recommend this to adults; to understand what teenagers go through with the issues of Love and Family.

Rating:
Summary: The Watcher
Review: This book was one of the greatest books I have ever read written by James Howe. It shows that you can't judge someone by the their appearance. Just like the saying you can't judge a book by its cover. In the book the auther describes the characters in great detail to help the reader understand the situations clearly. The watcher thinks that Evan and Callie's family is a perfect family, but really the parents were maybe going to get a divorce. Also, the author described how Margrot was so depressed and came from an abusive family. The book was great and I hope you read it and enjoy it as much as I did!

Rating:
Summary: Maharacki(Eric) Schneider's review(Hi Mr. S.)
Review: Well, I read this book because I had to. I read it in reading class. Usually the books that the teachers pick are dumb and boring. Yet this is the exception. I have never read a book in reading class that I liked. This book is about a girl who fantasises that have the people that she sees around her. She watches the people she sees on the beach, like Chris, a lifeguard, Evan, a boy who would rather go out with his family than with friends, and the Watcher. In the beginning you don't get what is going on. In the middle it all makes sense and in the end it is a surprise(or at least to me). That is what it is about. The reason I only gave the book three stars is because I don't like reading things about depression, are like me, or make me cry. This one had a little bit of everything (although I didn't cry I only felt bad for the characters). So go home, and read it!

Rating:
Summary: Not Too Pleased
Review: This book didn't really please me. The beginning of the book was very very slow. I had a hard time keeping up with it and several times just stopped reading it altogether. I finally forced myself to get into the book and found that it was very boring until the end. The book wasn't really interesting and I wouldn't recommened it to anyone who wants to read about abuse. Seeing as how the abuse came at the very end of the book and not throughtout the whole thing.

Rating:
Summary: NOT A DOWNER!
Review: My middle school students and I just finished reading/studying Howe's book. Wowee! We loved it! Summer school can sometimes be a downer, but Howe's book united my students in getting involved in reading a great book.

The characters' varied perspectives offer readers a glimpse into the lives, goals, and relationships of others, and my students made thoughtful connections and predictions throughout the novel. While the book's realism may disturb younger readers, I feel that middle school students to adults of any any age will benefit from reading THE WATCHER. Several students commented that they will now look at others who are "different" in a more sensitive way.

After finishing the book, my students speculated about the outcome of the lives of Margaret, Evan, Chris, Margaret's dad, and others. They want Howe to write Part Two or more like this book! Reading the book together and stopping periodically to discuss, take notes, complete activities, etc. stimulated my summer school class's involvement and enjoyment of this great read! Slowing down the reading process (taking time to smell the roses...in this case, the sea) encouraged my students to relate to the characters and events of Howe's great book. I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a realistic slice of young adult life today.

Rating:
Summary: The Watcher
Review: The Watcher is an amazing book! you keep guessing and guessing and wonderin gwhere the book is going until the very end. You are AMAZED by what shock you are in at the end...everything comes to play...you realize a lot
READ IT TODAY!

Rating:
Summary: Girl All Alone
Review: the watcher is one of the most powerful books about young teen life i have ever read. it gets so real sometimes you feel like your in it, living the life. theres a girl named marget and she is all alone and just sits on the top of steps and watches people. when she wants to she writes notes in her notebook. one day these two boys saw her watching them and didnt know why. everytime they saw her she was in the same spot and never with anyone else or playing on the beach. one of the boys name is even and as he watches her he ais faceing problems of his own. his sister and he both think their parents are getting a divorce. a guy named cris he is a life gaurd and not sure what he wants to do with his life and really confused. until the one day they saw the truth about the girl they call the "watcher.in a way theres sometingh that brings them all together and some how help out in there lives." i recommed this book to people who have there own problems and like to cry feel the pain marget gos though.

Rating:
Summary: a must read book!
Review: The Watcher is a thrilling realistic fiction book, with a problem that breaks your heart. The main character, Margaret (the watcher), lives on a small island, which is a vacation place to many. Throughout the book she watches a family with two parents and two kids, Evan (15) and Callie (6). This family is always so happy and loving, which Margaret envies. To Margaret this is the perfect family everyone dreams of, including herself.
She also watches a hunky lifeguard (Chris) who is a little out of it these days, but she still has a secret crush on him. The problem of this story is easy to find, just pay attention to what Margaret watches, and in the end you'll find out why she watches what she does. I would definitely have to say the theme of the book is the love in a family, and wanting to be loved. I would recommend this book to girls in 5th grade and up.