Shadow-Catcher

May 1, 2000
In this somewhat belabored whodunit set in the late 1800s, Levin (The Banished) introduces amateur sleuth Jonathan Capewell, who'd rather be on the "mean streets" of the city snagging "sly criminals" than do his chores on his family's remote farm in Maine. Jonathan's parents, however, have other plans for their son; they are anxious for him to spend time with his grandfather learning the photography trade. Trailing his grandfather on shooting sessions, then later working in Grandfather Capewell's studio in the nearby town of Masham, Jonathan learns to see with a photographer's eye. His heightened perception proves beneficial when he begins piecing together a puzzle involving a river accident he witnessed, the vandalism of his grandfather's cart and a mysterious stranger anxious to get his hands on some of Grandfather Capewell's pictures. Moving at a sluggish pace, the novel seems disjointed at the beginning and strained in the end as loose ends are forced together to form a neat resolution. The minor charactersDmost of whom play a vital role in the denouementDare sketchily drawn; Jonathan also lacks depth. Shutter-bugs may appreciate the book's details about 19th-century picture-taking, but readers craving action and suspense may do better elsewhere. Ages 10-up.

June 1, 2000
In this somewhat belabored whodunit set in the late 1800s, Levin (The Banished) introduces amateur sleuth Jonathan Capewell, who'd rather be on the "mean streets" of the city snagging "sly criminals" than do his chores on his family's remote farm in Maine. Jonathan's parents, however, have other plans for their son; they are anxious for him to spend time with his grandfather learning the photography trade. Trailing his grandfather on shooting sessions, then later working in Grandfather Capewell's studio in the nearby town of Masham, Jonathan learns to see with a photographer's eye. His heightened perception proves beneficial when he begins piecing together a puzzle involving a river accident he witnessed, the vandalism of his grandfather's cart and a mysterious stranger anxious to get his hands on some of Grandfather Capewell's pictures. Moving at a sluggish pace, the novel seems disjointed at the beginning and strained in the end as loose ends are forced together to form a neat resolution. The minor characters-most of whom play a vital role in the denouement-are sketchily drawn; Jonathan also lacks depth. Shutter-bugs may appreciate the book's details about 19th-century picture-taking, but readers craving action and suspense may do better elsewhere. Ages 10-up. (May)

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 15, 2000
Gr. 4^-7. Young Jonathan Capewell wants to be a detective like the heroes of the dime novels he loves. He unexpectedly gets the opportunity while accompanying his traveling photographer Grandpa across Maine, when a photo shoot of river logging reveals some suspicious activity. The camera doesn't lie, but perhaps a mysterious stranger does. However, identifying clues and solving mysteries aren't as easy as dime novels would have Jonathan believe. The well-crafted, engaging mystery, set in the 1890s, neatly frames a story of character growth and development. Diverse, dimensional characters and their actions illustrate the complexities of considering perception versus reality, and show how prejudice and preconceptions can lead to negative repercussions. Levin's lively, descriptive prose abounds with historic detail of daily life, explanations of early photography methods, and references to novels by authors such as Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, much to Jonathan's (and the reader's) benefit. The multilayered suspense story and its appealing protagonist notably illuminate the value and rewards of "seeing" through the camera's lens, as well as the human eye and heart--and of considering both the big picture and the smallest details in detective work and life in general. ((Reviewed May 15, 2000))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2000
Set in late-nineteenth-century northern Maine, this story develops unhurriedly, but suspense builds as events come into focus. When Jonathan accompanies his grandfather on a summer photography circuit, he gets caught up in solving a crime that threatens Grandpa's livelihood. Details about photographic techniques are unobtrusively included, and a subplot involving Grandpa and a citified lady adds some depth to the characters.

(Copyright 2000 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2000
Gr 4-6-Jonathan's parents decide that he should leave the family farm and accompany his grandfather, an itinerant photographer, on his travels and learn his trade. Rather than teaching him anything, the man assigns the boy the boring tasks and hard work entailed in journeying by wagon in the late 1800s in rural Maine. At the logging camp, one of Grandpa's annual stops, Jonathan finally begins to understand his grandfather's profession, and the excitement of the log run down the river is a great introduction to the mystery that slowly unravels through the rest of the story. Levin is a solid writer and her style is well suited to this story that explores family dynamics and social mores as well as the vast difficulties in daily life. Unfortunately, her plot pace takes a while to pick up and it is only the last third of the story that moves with briskness and has child appeal. Many readers will grow impatient, rather than savor the slow unraveling of a mystery. However, for those willing to wait, there are strong female characters, realistic aftereffects of the Civil War for its veterans, family jealousies, and some racial tension and bigotry to accompany the slow accumulation of clues, and Grandpa and Jonathan's growth develops naturally and believably.-Carol A. Edwards, Sonoma County Library, Santa Rosa, CA

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.