The One Hundredth Thing About Caroline

Lois Lowry (author)

Yearling Books, USA: 1983; 150pp

ISBN: 0440466253

Genres: mystery, realistic fiction

Issues: adolescence, family, imagination

Caroline Tate, an independent and imaginative eleven year old girl who lives with her mother and teenage brother, J.P. Other than the usual disagreements about the necessity of eating eggplant and who does which part of the housework, the three get on quite well.

Until, that is, Caroline's mother starts dating the Mystery Man, Frederick, from the flat upstairs. Caroline knows she has real trouble on her hands when she finds a letter in the Mystery Man's rubbish bin that suggests he should ‘get rid the kids'. Can Frederick really be the calculating murderer the letters suggest? Caroline calls upon her best friend and budding investigative reporter, Stacey, to help, but it seems that more desperate measures might be called for. It seems she might actually have to convince her brother to put aside the toaster he is trying to repair and work out how to stop the devious plans of the man their mother finds so attractive.

This is thoroughly enjoyable narrative that will appeal to imaginative readers. It is so very easy to jump to the wrong conclusions, especially when one has a vivid imagination. Caroline's tendency to melodrama adds to the humour, as does Stacey's conviction that there is a threatening motivation at the bottom of the most innocent of activities.

Lowry has a gift for creating lively narratives where adventure lurks in the most normal of activities. Readers who enjoy this novel should also try Lowry's Anastasia series.