View from the Cherry Tree (by Willo Davis Roberts)

This book is written as a murder/mystery for ages 9-11 and is definetly not fit for this age group. It has no good theme or moral to it. In the beginning, p.4 it uses the words "son of a b***in cat" which leads to the name of the cat being called "S.O.B." throughout the entire book. There is a murder description that begins on p. 53 that is very descript and disturbing. At one point the main character is offered casually a beer. The murder takes place because of a bag of heroine that is hidden in the woman's house and she will not give it to a young adult man. All the adults in this story are depicted as insensitive and disrespectful to the boy (main character), even the police when he goes to them for help. This book was given my 5th grade child as a class read, and I was very disturbed that it was considered "approved material" for elementary age. This is the first children's book written by the author who normally writes gothic, adult murder mystery and medical mystery fiction. Would we let our young children read the first children's book written by Steven King? Probably not. The actual book was only an "okay" read for entertainment in my opinion for anyone. There are much better choices.