Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds

Fifth-grader Cam Jansen is the protagonist in Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds. Her real name is Jennifer, but because of her photographic memory, people call her “the Camera.” This epithet is shortened to “Cam,” the nickname that most people use for her.

In the story, Cam is portrayed as a curious and intelligent girl who loves to test her memory. For instance, she enjoys challenging her friend Eric to memory games and drawing on her clear mental “pictures” to answer his questions. Cam uses her memory intentionally by carefully observing people and saying “click” to take a mental picture of them. This technique helps her to accurately recall the suspects of the diamond heist when she sees them again. For instance, when she sees “the Runner” again, she recognizes him right away and exclaims, “They got him! That’s the man who ran out of Parker’s. I remember that mustache, that dark suit, and that ugly green tie” (24). Cam’s memory and intense focus help her to recall important information and to act on clues. For instance, she notices the elderly women who were in the store and interviews them, comparing their story with what she saw.