Caught in the Act
Written by Joan Lowery Nixon
Reviewed by Lincoln R. (age 10)
How would you like to read an adventure and a crazy book? This book is called Caught In The Act written by Joan Lowery Nixon. This book is about an eleven year old boy named Mike. The author pictures Mike as strong and brave throughout the story. It is a magnificent book.
Mike had to move in with his adoptive family on a Missouri farm. There is a boy in his new family named Gunter. Gunter always tells on Mike for things he really doesn’t do. One day Mike gets in trouble from his new dad. His new dad whips Mike with a leather belt. He also yells at Mike. The mom and the two housekeepers (Marta and Reuben) are nice to Mike. They help him by giving him confidence and backing him up against Gunter. They also save him from the mean dad by stopping the whipping each time. They usually walk into the barn while Mike is getting whipped and say, “Time to go to church.” This makes Mike realize that their are people in his new family that like him and care about him.
One night Mike looked out his bedroom window. He saw Mr. Friedrich (Mike’s new dad) in the barn, he was doing something with Reuben. Mike saw a shadow of them Mike thought the dad murdered Reuben. Did he?
I think that Mike is scared to be with a new family, because he always acts nervous around Gunter and his new dad. I feel sad for Mike because he has to be with this mean family. I believe that Mike doesn’t like his new family, but he likes certain people in the family. If you want to know if Mike ever starts to like his whole family you will have to read the book!
The theme of the book is stand up for yourself. I loved this book because there was always something exciting happening throughout the entire book. I didn’t like the beginning, because it started out, scratchy and confusing, but then it got good.
I really recommend this book to people who like books with adventure and mystery.