Caitlin is awakened by a mysterious digging noise and realizes that something strange is happening in her neighborhood. When she sets out to prove her suspicion that the Dorman brothers are involved in illegal acts, she discovers important things about her family and friends. A fast-paced plot, but unbelievable characters. From HORN BOOK 1991, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr. 4-6. Caitlin's got a lot on her mind. She's taking too much responsibility for her baby brother because her mother is uninterested; Bones, the boy next door, continues to act oddly; new girl Missy keeps pulling Caitlin into dangerous adventures; and nasty neighbors, the Dorman brothers, are obviously involved in something illegal. DeClements has bitten off a little more than she can chew here. Though most of the plot lines do eventually converge, there is so much digression, they're hard to keep an eye on. Particularly problematic is the subplot concerning Caitlin and her brother. Neither her mother nor her father (conveniently out of town most of each month) seems to think it is at all odd that their preteen daughter gets up with the baby in the middle of the night, keeps an eagle eye on the baby-sitter, and seems to give the infant most of the love he receives. Nevertheless, the book works when the accent remains on the action; those who like their mysteries laced with danger will appreciate the excitement. ~--Ilene Cooper

Strange noises in the night herald the start of another of DeClements's routine grade-school stories, in this case mildly enlivened by a mystery. Sixth-grader Caitlin worries about ``Bones,'' her junior- high next-door neighbor whose mother's parsimony keeps him thin and poorly dressed. She worries more when mysterious digging noises emanate from his yard at night and his appearance suddenly improves. Meanwhile, new neighbor Missy inveigles Caitlin into spying on other neighbors who, in a blandly written climax, prove to be thieves. Ultimately, the answer to the Bones mystery (only remotely connected to the thefts) is also revealed. Though DeClements has a good ear for dialogue and produces some interesting characters in offbeat situations, her flat narrative style muffles both suspense and reader involvement. At best, a minor effort. (Fiction. 10+)

Gr 3-6-- Strange noises awaken Caitlin at midnight but she can't tell who is digging in the Reddings' backyard. Is it Bones, her 13-year-old neighbor who never seems to have enough to eat? Or is it the Dorman brothers, who have already been in trouble with the police several times? When Caitlin and her new friend, Missy, investigate, the sixth graders get into some dangerous and irresponsible situations before the mystery is solved. This is a bit of a departure for DeClements, offering less direct humor than her previous titles. Here she examines some of the problems faced by modern families. Because her father travels a lot and her mother can't cope with having had another baby at 43, Caitlin finds that much of her three-month-old brother's care falls to her. The personalities of the adults provide an assortment of interesting characters, not all of whom are admirable. The brother's baby-sitter is irresponsible; Missy's adoptive father is detestible; Bones's mother is incompetent and in the end seeks psychiatric help. DeClements does sustain a suspensful mood that will appeal to mystery fans. --Jeanette Larson, Texas State Library, Austin (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Given DeClements's previous, engaging novels for middle-graders ( Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade ; Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You ), her latest is somewhat of a letdown. It focuses on Caitlin, a good-natured sixth-grader who shoulders a good deal of responsibility for her age. Because her mother is always exhausted, Caitlin cares for her infant brother in the wee hours of the morning. She also keeps a maternal eye on her good friend and neighbor Bones, so nicknamed because his obsessively frugal mother spends so little money on food. Bones and Missy, who moves into the neighborhood, figure prominently in the mystery that is at the center of DeClements's story. As always, the author's young characters are exceedingly real, yet the plot's pace is disappointingly sluggish. Though readers are kept guessing, the novel does not deliver the suspense suggested by its title. Ages 8-12. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved