Canadian Literature for Children and Young Adults: The Watcher by Margaret Buffie

Title: The Watcher

Author: Margaret Buffie

Publish Date: September 1, 2000

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Pages: 264pp

ISBN: 1550748319

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Annotation: Emma is set apart from the rest of her dark-haired family with exotic white hair and skin. She senses an intense emotion to protect her little sister Summer, who is prone to weakness. Suddenly, the world Emma has always known isn’t the world she thought it was, rather a Game.

Plot Summary: The first book of the Watcher’s Quest trilogy introduces Emma suspenseful tale about a girl, Emma, and her little sister, Summer. To begin with, Emma is nothing like the rest of her family, in fact she doesn’t even look like them as they all have dark features and Emma bears pale skin and hair. Emma is concerned about her little sister Summer as she has been passing out and getting weaker and weaker. Emma does not trust her mother, a new-age, bee-keeper or her impractical environmental artist father to keep Summer safe. Through dreams, Emma finds herself between two worlds and comes to find out that what she thought was reality is really just a Game. Upon finding this out, she learns what her role is in this Game and

Personal Response: A suspenseful tale with a strong storyline about identity, courage, and sisterhood. I thought the whole changeling element was interesting as Emma, a great character by the way (very relatable), felt so much need to protect her family. I found this to be a fantastical read! The open ending was a little difficult but luckily the next book was available at the library.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: The bond of sisterhood

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: Magic, Other Worlds, Outcast, Supernatural, Identity, Sisters, Games, Myth, Changeling, Courage