31 pages • 1-hour read
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds
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Symbols & Motifs
The Baby’s Rattle
In the story, the thieves use the baby rattle to trick shoppers and police alike, and the rattle itself therefore becomes a symbol for lying and deceit. When the strange young couple rushes out of the store after the robbery, Cam and Eric notice that they are holding a baby and one large rattle. The friends find this suspicious, since they know that a baby needs lots of supplies. Eventually, Cam discovers that the two are actually part of the theft and that they used the rattle as a way to hide the loose diamonds and smuggle them out of the store. Cam cannot fully solve the mystery until she sees the couple open the rattle and shake the diamonds out of it. When Cam notices the doll on the floor of the house, she arrives at a full understanding of the thieves’ plan, realizing that they made themselves look like doting parents in order to appear innocent, when really their “baby” and its rattle were part of the heist.
“Click!”
In the story, Cam uses her photographic memory to recall detailed scenes, and she often intentionally takes mental pictures of what she sees. Cam’s habit of saying, “Click!” references her photographic memory and serves as a reminder of The Importance of Situational Awareness. Cam’s pattern of saying “click” reveals her desire to remember and understand key information. The author describes Cam using her memory to win a game against Eric: “Cam looked straight ahead. She said, ‘Click,’ and then closed her eyes. Cam always said, ‘Click,’ when she wanted to remember something. She said it was the sound her mental camera made when it took a picture” (3).
By carefully observing the scene unfolding at the jewelry store and taking a mental photo, Cam makes the most of her special ability. For instance, she compares the sight of the arrested man with the “picture” in her head, and she confirms that the police did catch the man who ran away. She says, “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). This approach is so helpful for Cam that she even uses it to retrieve information later on. For example, she says “Click” and suddenly remembers that Howie has a bottle of milk in the stroller. By using her keyword to trigger her memories, Cam gains a better sense of the details that she has spontaneously remembered.
Baby Howie
In the story, baby Howie is a symbol for important responsibilities. Even though Eric and Cam want to focus on the unfolding mystery, they have to fulfill their promise to Eric’s mom and take good care of baby Howie. Although the children show poor judgment in pursuing the thieves on their own, their decision to take Howie with them on their adventure suggests that they are trying to balance their obligation with their passionate interest in the case.
Baby Howie’s presence in the story also shows that Eric is a thoughtful and loving big brother who is more conscious of his obligations than his best friend Cam is, as she does not have siblings. Eric explains to Cam, “I have to find out whether [Howie] wants to be held, fed or changed. I have everything I need right here” (6). As the eldest brother and a responsible child, Eric prioritizes baby Howie’s needs over his own desire to solve the mystery, and most of the time, he makes sure that Howie is happy and safe. For instance, when Cam is eager to interview a few witnesses of the robbery, Eric takes care of his baby brother first. As the narrative states: “Eric was still feeding Howie. ‘Are you almost finished?’ Cam asked. ‘Almost.’ ‘Good. Then we can go ask those two old women what happened inside the jewelry store’” (19). As the mystery escalates and the friends follow the suspect through the neighborhood, they bring baby Howie along. Their obligation to care for him ends up hampering their detective work because when Howie cries, the noise alerts the thieves to discover Cam. This scene shows that responsibilities can interfere with people’s interests and desires.
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