The Birdcatcher

Gr 7 Up—The night 16-year-old Nell Pestowsky jumped off the roof of the boathouse in only her underwear, she set off a chain of events that led to her now ex- boyfriend's bike accident and her new friendship with Ida, a rich girl from the other side of the lake. It was also the first time Nell met the Birdcatcher, an incident she has blocked from her mind. With her dog Rocky and a backpack full of alcohol, she and Ida head to a rustic camp about a hundred miles from home to get away for awhile. But the Birdcatcher also finds his way there. Ida is keeping secrets that could put them both in harm's way. Narrator Amy Rubinate escalates the suspense as Dunker's story (Amazon Children's Pub., 2012) unfolds through appropriate pacing and rising pitch. Ida sounds rich and refined even as the story reaches its climax, Nell's growing fear and frustration are evident, and the Birdcatcher's threatening voice contributes to it. Loose ends are tied up a little too neatly at the conclusion, but teens who like their horror and suspense with a twist will probably enjoy this story.—Ann Brownson, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston