About BC Books Online
BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
Description
Fifteen-year-old Christine is visiting her eccentric great-aunt in historic Witcombe, where a pickpocket has been victimizing tourists.
Aunt Maude owns an antique store and also runs the town’s ghost walk, which allows Christine to meet all the visitors, including a mysterious young man who seems to know far too much about the rash of recent thefts in the area. When the pickpocket targets the customers in Aunt Maude’s store, Christine is determined to find out who is behind the thefts. Her search takes her through the nooks and crannies of the quaint town full of stories, and she unearths more than one surprise.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Contributor Notes
Kristin Butcher is the author of several books for young readers, including Cheat, Cabin Girl and Winter Road in the Orca Currents line. Kristin lives in Campbell River, British Columbia.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 9 to 12
- Grade:
- 4 to 7
- Reading age:
- 9 to 12
Editorial Reviews
"The plot is fast-paced, the characters are extremely likeable, and the clues about the burglaries provide the reader with enough information to solve the mystery before the conclusion. Readers who enjoy a good 'whodunit' will appreciate this story."
— Library Media Connection
"A breezy pseudo-Scooby-Doo vibe whisks readers forward as Christine does clumsy surveillance and suspects are considered, until a humorously unlikely culprit is unearthed. Butcher has just scratched the surface of her likeable and entertaining cast, whose future adventures would be welcome."
— Publishers Weekly
"A very well-written mystery young readers will enjoy as it is filled with suspense and adventure...Butcher uses dialogue to move the plot forward. The language’s straight forwardness and simplicity allow reluctant readers or readers learning English to easily comprehend and immerse themselves in the story. Highly Recommended."
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"Once again, Kristin Butcher has created a protagonist teen readers will readily identify with. Christine is curious, attentive, and logical, but still sometimes can misinterpret her world...Christine doesn’t learn an important “life lesson,” but she grows in self-awareness and understanding of the world around her, both necessary qualities on the road to adulthood."
— Resource Links
