The Fire-Raiser

Set in New Zealand at the beginning of World War I, this novel depicts four children who band together to find out who has been setting fire to buildings all over town.

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In 1915 Kitty Wix and her friends try to stop the arsonist who is terrifying their small New Zealand town.

Maurice Gee is an acclaimed novelist from New Zealand. His books are frequent bestsellers in his homeland. One, The Halfman of O, was the winner of the New Zealand Children’s Book of the Year Award, and Under the Mountain was a popular television serial.

Gr 6-9-- With Dickensian flair, Gee spins the tale of an arsonist whose guilt and troubled past are brought to light by a motley group of children. Lurking in dark alleyways, wearing black overcoat and red balaclava, emotionally disturbed Edgar Marwick finds release from his tyrannical mother by setting fires. The bak er's adventurous children, Noel and Kitty; the mayor's pampered but frustrated child, Irene; and homeless Phil Miller band together and boldly gather evidence that indicts the guilty man. While seeking justice, they witness the prejudice against Frau Stauffel, a local Ger man music teacher. Set in a small New Zealand town at the beginning of World War I, The Fire-Raiser reveals a community in which loy alties and prejudices intertwine. With the forthright support and courageous example of their teacher, the youngsters learn the power and price of fear and hatred. Well-drawn char acters, steady plot development, and sharp de scriptions make this novel an entertaining se lection. Some questions may remain, however, about the resolution of the conflicts between Irene and her parents and Edgar Marwick and his mother. Although the setting evokes a his torical time and place, the dilemmas and con cerns of the townspeople and children are uni versal. --Gerry Larson, Chewning Junior High School, Durham, NC Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information.