Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds

In these passages, the author builds suspense as Cam begins to unravel the mystery and soon finds herself in danger. The author’s description of “the Runner” brings him into focus as a character. Rather than remaining a vaguely suspicious man who fled the scene of a crime, “the Runner” is now a dangerous villain who has captured Cam and baby Howie. With this development, the story takes a more serious turn, even though the villain himself has deeply stereotypical features. By describing him as a “big tall man” with “a mustache that curled up at the ends” (41), the author draws upon a cartoonish version of an antagonist in an attempt to appeal to young readers. The man’s villainous status is strengthened as the Runner behaves threateningly towards Cam and the baby, cornering them and looming over them. The Runner’s intimidating behavior makes Howie and Cam aware of their own vulnerability, building tension in the story.

As Cam pursues more clues in the mystery, her actions continue to demonstrate The Importance of Situational Awareness. For instance, when Eric mentions that a second man was in the store at the same time as “the Runner,” Cam shares that she remembers him perfectly, saying, “Yes, I know. I have a picture of him in my brain. He was tall and wore a dark suit just like the man the police caught. And he was holding a large baby rattle” (27). Cam’s keen memory of the other potential suspects helps her to assess the available clues and come up with creative possibilities that the police miss. In this moment, she shows her skill at maintaining Critical Thinking in Problem-Solving. For example, she carefully considers the inconsistencies in the couple’s behavior. Because she knows that babies usually travel with a stroller and require a large bag of supplies, she finds it odd that the strange couple only carried one large rattle. As she tells Eric, “There was something strange about that couple. Your mother packs this whole bag when she takes Howie somewhere. That couple had a baby too, but all they brought along was a rattle” (27). This observation convinces the kids that the couple is somehow involved in the heist. As observers of the whole commotion, only they have all the clues needed to identify the true culprits. 

Cam also shows her critical thinking skills by considering the suspect’s perspective as she and Eric follow him out of the mall and into the neighborhood. When the man spots the children, Cam urges Eric, “Keep walking. If we stop whenever he does, he’ll know we’re following him” (32). Cam uses her strong sense of reason once again when she is trapped in the house. Knowing that a slammed door will distract the thieves and make them think that she escaped, Cam shuts the door and finds a good hiding place, sending the thieves scrambling out to chase her. Her astute insights into people’s behavior helps her to remain undetected long enough to solve the mystery and safely escape.

Ultimately, after discovering that “the Runner” and the young couple are all thieves, the two children rely upon The Value of Friendship and Teamwork to alert the police. Eric and Cam’s collaborative attitude helps them to navigate a dangerous situation, as when they compromise in their solution, deciding that Eric will fetch the police while Cam keeps an eye on the suspects. The friends’ ability to work together helps them to figure out important clues and make decisions together in this challenging situation.