Cathy's Book

CATHY'S BOOK by Sean Stewart & Jordan Weisman
Category: Mystery/Thriller
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 9/12/06
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce
Rating: 5 Stars

CATHY'S BOOK is being marketed as a new kind of young adult novel. It's interactive, with a pocket of 'evidence', real
phone numbers and websites, and other extras to help you learn more about the case. To be honest, though, that wasn't
what made me love this book. Sure, the extras are cool and all, but I don't think they are necessary (and that's a compliment
to the book, really!). CATHY'S BOOK could have stood on its own as a wonderful young adult novel.

It's the story of, as the title suggests, a girl named Cathy. I suppose she's fairly normal at first (though she is a better artist
than most of us--I love the drawings in this book!), but she quickly finds herself mixed up in some shady business, due to her
involvement with Victor, her older possible-boyfriend. I can't say too much without giving away the awesome plot twists, but
nothing turns out the way you think it will! It all comes together quite nicely in the end, though. The startling revelations that
finish this story, however, could set up a great sequel, and I hope that one is at least being considered!

CATHY'S BOOK is fantastic for a number of reasons. There are great pictures (and usually I'm not a fan of pictures in
novels--I think it distracts from the writing), it's well-written, the characters (especially Cathy) are realistic, and the plot is
quite suspenseful! It's not all action and suspense, though--there's a bit of romance thrown in (that is, after all, the reason for
Cathy's involvement in the first place), which makes it fun. The only thing that might subtract from the awesomeness of this
book, I think, is the fact that the publishers or whoever made this decision seemed to think the great story needed 'extras' to
make it worth reading. None of the press I've read on this book mentions the great novel; instead, it talks about the 'extras.'
That is not what makes this book worth it, not at all!