The Double Cousins and the Mystery of the Missing Watch by Miriam Jones Bradley

Today I'm doing something different with this book review. A copy of the book, The Double Cousins and the Mystery of the Missing Watch by Miriam Jones Bradley, was sent to me to review by WinePress Publishing. My 14-year-old and I read it together as a read-aloud. So I thought I'd get her view on the book here are some questions I asked her.

What would you say was the theme in this book: Biblically it was about the Prodigal Son and forgiveness. I liked the fact that KJV Bible version was used.

Could you please give a brief summery of the book: The cousins were spending summer with their Grandparents at the farm. There was a lot of farm work to do, but also a mystery to solve. The kids were challenged by Grandpa to find out what happened to Zachary L. Johnson. Zachary left home in 1890 at the age of 18 and the family heard no more about him after that. Zachary was the cousins Great-Great Uncle.

Tell us briefly about some of the characters in this book:
Dorie, is the oldest cousin she liked to sew and take photos; work on scrapbooking
Max and Carly were the same age and loved to solve mysteries. They liked to ride horses. Carly liked to play chess.
Chad and Molly were the same age. Chad liked to help Grandpa and Slim, the hired hand. Molly liked to read and always remembered a face.

Which character would you say you are most like and why? There are two of them. Dorie because she liked to sew. I love to sew. Molly because she liked to read. I love reading.

Do you like mysteries? I like reading mysteries, but don't think I'd be any good at solving them like Carly.

What age do you think this book is geared toward? 8-1o year olds; maybe 12.

Did you like this book: rate it 1-5 (5 being great and work down). 3 or 4; it was a great book. I think younger kids would really like it. I've read better mysteries for my age. I'm 14.

What are you going to do with this book now that you're done reading it? I'll take it over to our church and put it in the library so other kids can read it.

Do you have any favorite authors you like to read? Al Lacy, Tracie Peterson, Robin Jones Gunn, Debbie Viguie, Bodie Thoene. I like reading Nancy Drew books too.

Are you reading any book for school? if so what?
Yes, Robinson Crusoe. Don't read it. It is very boring. Nothing happened in the first half to 2/3s of the book; boring. A book with only one person in it is very boring.

What are you reading for fun? As you Wish by Robin Jones Gunn ~ Contemporary and Munich Signature by Bodie Thoene ~ WWII

What is the next one you want your mom to start reading aloud to you? Maybe Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery. OR Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. There's a lot of good books.

Click here for more information on this book.

More about this book and author:
In an intriguing tale of forgiveness and acceptance, Miriam Jones Bradley tells the story of five cousins, seeking to unearth the one hundred year old mystery surrounding a long lost relative, an old pocket watch, and a mysterious hired man. Set against the backdrop of a Nebraska ranch, The Double Cousins and The Mystery of the Missing Watch takes the reader through an adventure led by young sleuths. In the tradition of classic children mysteries, like The Boxcar Children, Bradley offers a Christian perspective to her story.

In a culture that overwhelmingly portrays a fractured family unit, Bradley offers a story of love, acceptance, and unity.

"I believe that in today's world, with the decl ine of the family unit, this book can make an impact on children," says Bradley. "Whether they have an intact family or not, they can learn the importance of family connections while learning good Biblical and character truths."

Bradley's young heroes learn many lessons as they solve the family mystery, mainly that God can and will forgive us when we fail and that we should never judge someone simply due to his past. Historical flashbacks feature prominently in the book, adding to the sense of adventure and discovery.

"My goal is to provide a Christian answer to the Bobbsey Twins/Trixie Belden mysteries I remember from my childhood," says Bradley.

Bradley has worked as a nurse for the past twenty-four years and has been heavily involved with Children's Ministries. She has taught and led numerous children's programs and spends as much time as possible with her twelve nieces and nephews. Bradley has a heart for children and desires to provide exciting, cap tivating, but traditional stories for children that establish important character truths. She and her husband, Dr. Bruce Bradley, make their home in Newberry, SC, where she works as a Utilization Review Nurse at Newberry County Memorial Hospital.

A copy of this book was provided for review by WinePress Publishing