Fourteen-year-old Jim Hawkins has had a difficult time since his father mysteriously vanished a year ago. Recovering from the shock hasn't been easy for him or his mother, and it's all they can do to hold on to their Ontario farm. So when Ruth Rose, the troubled stepdaughter of the local pastor, tells Jim that she believes his father was murdered by her stepfather, he doesn't want to believe her. After all, she is crazy, isn't she? But Ruth's determination is infectious, and soon Jim joins her in a quest for the truth. As they delve into the past, painful secrets come to light, and Jim begins to realise just what the pastor is capable of. The Boy in the Burning House is an excellent novel to explore the narrative techniques of the thriller genre. The beautifully drawn setting also provides opportunities for learning about different cultures. Thematic contrasts between charity and suspicion, love and hate provide good discussion points. 'This is a gripping read and a thoughtful, realistic and sustained examination of trust, guilt and betrayal.' Books for Keeps
This is Book 2 in the New Longman Literature 11-14 Series. See all New Longman Literature 11-14 books here.
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Tim Wynne-Jones was born in Cheshire, but has lived in Canada since he was three, where he now has a considerable reputation and following. The Boy in the Burning House is the first of his books to be published in the UK. It has won the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award and the prestigious 'Edgar' Trophy for the best mystery story of the year for
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