SuitabookChase against time
Steve Reifman
- Reading
- Read a few chapters at a time, pausing at the clues to make a guess about the cello. Comparing predictions as the school day advances can make the mystery’s structure part of the fun.
- Themes
- A race to find the cello: Chase follows clues and red herrings in a race to find the missing cello before the deadline. The deadline-driven chapters and shifting clues make the search the story’s central engine.
- Music and school funding: The cello auction is intended to help keep the school’s music programme running amid budget cuts; Chase hopes to join the orchestra. The plot gives music a prominent place in school life and connects the programme’s future to Chase’s ambition.
- Worth knowing
- Chase is given substantial responsibility and freedom around the school.