Missing Matthew

Darleen R. Golke is a high-school teacher-librarian in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.

When Matthew, shy and new to Rockwell, fails to appear in his Grade 5
class one day, the administration and his father assume he’s been
kidnapped. Freddie (Winnifred), who knows about Matthew’s problems
with the school bully, sets out to solve the mystery of his
disappearance. She gets the Rebel Rescue Squad together—that is,
Freddie, her younger sister Jelly, and her bossy friend Weasel—to
tackle the kidnapping and, incidentally, get rid of the curfew imposed
by concerned adults. Arriving at their “haunted root cellar”
headquarters, they discover Matthew in hiding, “having a holiday.”
“I’m tired of getting picked on,” he tells them. “I hate that
school and I don’t want to live here anymore. I wish we had never
moved … and I really miss my mom.”

The Rebel Rescue Squad resolves to help Matthew by bringing him
supplies and allowing him to hide out at Freddie’s house during the
day when only Grandma is home. While hiding out, Weasel and Freddie have
a falling out, so Freddie and Jelly try to decipher the mixed messages
that Matthew’s sends about his missing mother. With Grandma’s
assistance, Matthew’s confusing family situation becomes poignantly
clear.

Freddie is an entertaining and observant narrator who reports events
engagingly and humorously. Through the vernacular and from the viewpoint
of a 10-year-old, Dunnion manages snappy dialogue, deft
characterization, and fast-paced action. The issues of bullying and loss
of a parent as well as standard themes like loyalty and friendship are
presented with humour, sensitivity, and compassion. Missing Matthew is
sure to capture the imaginations of young readers. Recommended.