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The Watcher    by Joan Hiatt Harlow Amazon.com order for
Watcher
by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Order:  USA  Can
Margaret K. McElderry, 2014 (2014)
Hardcover, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Jessica Maguire

Despite World War II, fifteen year old Wendy has a good life living in the States with her parents ... until she is kidnapped. Not only is Wendy taken to Berlin, Germany, she also finds that her kidnapper is her mother!

A Nazi spy, Wendy's mother Adrie turns her daughter's world upside down. Wendy must learn German, support causes she does not believe in, and become Adrie's perfect German daughter. Gone is the relative safety of the States and the family she knew ... now Wendy must live under the constant threat of bombings and not trust anyone.

Alone in a new country and unable to speak the language, Wendy adopts a German Shepherd, Watcher. With Watcher, the young girl befriends an English speaking, blind German boy and his grandfather. Their alliance leads Wendy to uncover the truth about her past, which is quite shocking and dangerous for the girl.

In a show of tremendous courage, Wendy risks everything to escape Nazi Germany and return home to the States. The adventures she has along the way and the secrets she uncovers are sure to enthrall readers eight to twelve years old.

This delightfully entertaining companion to Shadows on the Sea is well written, taking readers on a seamless journey into the terror and intrigue of World War II and the Holocaust. I so enjoyed letting myself get wrapped up in this story that I could not put down.

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