Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Bandgt;Perfect Strangersandlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt; Every day, she sits at the top of the stairs leading to the beach. andlt;BRandgt; Always writing in her little notebook. andlt;BRandgt; Always watching. andlt;BRandgt; Watching the loving big brother, so caring and attentive to his little sister. andlt;BRandgt; Watching the handsome lifeguard with his golden tan. andlt;BRandgt; But no matter how closely she watches, she can't begin to know the secrets behind the perfect facades of their lives. andlt;BRandgt; And they can't begin to know the truth about the strange, sad girl who each day sits alone -- and watches.
Synopsis
Perfect Strangers
Every day, she sits at the top of the stairs leading to the beach.
Always writing in her little notebook.
Always watching.
Watching the loving big brother, so caring and attentive to his little sister.
Watching the handsome lifeguard with his golden tan.
But no matter how closely she watches, she can't begin to know the secrets behind the perfect facades of their lives.
And they can't begin to know the truth about the strange, sad girl who each day sits alone -- and watches.
Synopsis
Perfect Strangers Every day, she sits at the top of the stairs leading to the beach.
Always writing in her little notebook.
Always watching.
Watching the loving big brother, so caring and attentive to his little sister.
Watching the handsome lifeguard with his golden tan.
But no matter how closely she watches, she can't begin to know the secrets behind the perfect facades of their lives.
And they can't begin to know the truth about the strange, sad girl who each day sits alone -- and watches.
About the Author
James Howe is the author of more than ninety books for young readers, including the modern classic andlt;iandgt;Bunniculaandlt;/iandgt; and its highly popular sequels. In 2001, Howe published andlt;iandgt;The Misfitsandlt;/iandgt;, the story of four outcast seventh-graders who try to end name-calling in their school. andlt;i andgt;The Misfitsandlt;/iandgt; is now widely read and studied in middle schools throughout the country, and was the inspiration for the national movement known as No Name-Calling Week (NoNameCallingWeek.org), an event observed by thousands of middle and elementary schools annually. There are three companion novels to andlt;iandgt;The Misfitsandlt;/iandgt;: andlt;iandgt;Totally Joe andlt;/iandgt;(2005), andlt;iandgt;Addie on the Inside andlt;/iandgt;(2011), and andlt;iandgt;Also Known as Elvis andlt;/iandgt;(2014). Howeand#8217;s many other books for children from preschool through teens frequently deal with the acceptance of difference and being true to oneself. Visit him online at JamesHowe.com.
Reading Group Guide
Teaching Guide About the book
A seemingly idyllic summer at the beach reveals the inner lives of four young people in James Howe's remarkably moving tale of a troubled teenage girl and the individuals her life touches.
The young girl, nicknamed the "watcher", silently observes the people on the beach and writes in her journal. Meanwhile, Evan plays with his beloved sister Callie and frets over the mysterious sadness that has come over his parents. And Chris, the lifeguard who seems heroic to Evan and the watcher, secretly nurses doubts about himself. Interwoven with these narratives is a fairy tale of a remarkable little girl imprisoned by a beast, a story written by the watcher that closely resembles her own life and that shows powerfully how storytelling can be used to confront the issues we face.
As the lazy days of summer reveal the characters' inner turmoil, the novel moves toward its stunning climax and the revelation of just who the mysterious girl is and what compels her. In The Watcher, James Howe has crafted a subtle and compelling tale of the power and importance of family. In the process, he has created a layered text that is easily accessible and also highly rewarding, making it perfect for readers of varying skill levels.
Questions on the text
LANGUAGE ARTS
Fairy tales like the watcher's narrative often use archetypes (the good princess, the evil beast) to create a universal message out of an individual story. Write your own fairy tale using aspects of your life. Try writing the same material as a short story or journal. Which proves to be more effective for this particular plot?
The characters in this novel are very clearly drawn, but some of the less central characters we see only fleetingly; characters like Callie's friend Sarah, the lifeguard Jenny, Shane, Chris's roommates, Evan's mother and father, and Margaret's mother and father. Pick one of these characters and try to imagine their inner lives. What are they thinking and doing during the period in which this novel takes place?
SOCIAL STUDIES
Parts of this book address people's misconceptions about those around them. Can you think of instances in which you might have misinterpreted the thoughts of someone else? Take one instance and imagine a number of possible interpretations of that person's thoughts. Discuss ways that we can better understand others and ways we can communicate more clearly.
The main characters in this novel are all confronting problems in their lives. Write a story about these people ten years in the future. Have they resolved the problems? Have they encountered new ones? What are their lives like?
- How does the alternating viewpoint (the tales of the watcher, Chris, Evan, Callie, and the fairy tale) change the way you understand and react to the story? Why do you think the author chose this method of presenting the novel?
- The watcher thinks "They would not have seen her." (p. 4) What does she mean by this?
- The watcher is described as watching the families "most intently" (p. 5), and when Evan kisses Callie on the head the watcher "became so dizzy she was forced to drop her head to her knees and think of other things until the dizziness went away." (p. 7) Why is the watcher obsessed with families? And why does the incident between Evan and Callie affect her so much?
- What role do angels play in the book? Do any of the characters resemble angels in any way? How is the angel imagery used throughout the book?
- All the children have different names for the girl on the steps: the watcher (p. 35), Harriet the spy (p. 71), the flake (p. 47). Why do people's impressions differ so drastically? What does each nickname tell you about the person who uses it and his or her attitudes toward the girl on the steps?
- Family looms large in The Watcher. What are the main characters' views of family? How are they similar and how do they differ? Many different family situations are portrayed, but each of the children has a unique relationship with their parents. How would you describe these relationships? How would you characterize the sibling relationship between Callie and Evan?
- Evan repeats the quote "you can't always get what you want" to himself. Why? Why does this saying have meaning for him? Read the epigraph (or introductory quote) to the book. Why do you think the author chose this?
- Why do you think Evan has such strong feelings about the character of Holden Caulfield? What do those feelings reveal about his feelings toward himself? What do you think the character represents to Evan? (See p. 61)
- How does the watcher respond when Chris first tries to talk to her? (p. 90-91) Why do you think she responds in the way she does? Does this response seem like her normal behavior?
- What does it mean to you when Chris imagines that "he wanted to dive into that water and pull his brother out and save his fathers life?" (p. 145). If he could really do this, what difference does he think it would have made in his own life?
- Why do you think Evan tells his mother he is never going to get married? (p. 111) Does he seek to accomplish something with this line of discussion? What is your reaction to the mother's response? What do you think Evan's response is?
- What is Evan's attitude toward the watcher? (p. 35) What is his mother's? (p. 117) How do they differ and why?
- Callie tells her friend that her parents are getting a divorce (p. 67), which is not necessarily true. Why do you think Callie makes up this story?
- Look at the various ways each of the characters sees the others. Why do you think their perceptions are so often at odds with the reality of the characters they're observing? What do their perceptions say about their own needs and desires?
- We learn a great deal about these characters that is initially hidden, just as our thoughts are hidden in real life. How do these discoveries change your attitudes toward the characters? How do you think they change the characters' attitudes toward each other?
- The watcher believes that her "head is the perfect place for words nobody else uses." (p. 121) What do you believe she means by this?
- The watcher steals a number of things from Evan and Callie's family: a kite, a shawl, and Callie's picture. Why does the watcher steal from them and why does she pick the items she does?
- In light of the ending, what does Margaret's fairy tale reveal about her life? What does the ending mean for Margaret? For Chris? And for Evan? Have they addressed the issues that face them?
- James Howe once said, "one of the best reasons I know for being a writer is having the chance to rewrite reality." Do you think this may be reflected in The Watcher? Are there aspects of this book that could be considered wish fulfillment?
About the author
James Howe is the author of over fifty books for children, including the popular Bunnicula series. The Watcher is his first book for young adults. The author has spent parts of many summers on Fire Island, off the New York coast, which serves as the setting for this book.