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Finding Cooper
A family mystery full of humour and heart!
Twelve-year-old Cooper believes that his grandfather — who is living in a locked Alzheimer's ward — is actually D. B. Cooper, the famous (real) skyjacker who secured a small fortune and vanished in 1971.
Cooper sets out to prove his grandfather's true identity and uncover one of the biggest secrets in modern history. What begins as a distraction for a mystery-loving kid becomes a way of proving himself at school and maybe even trying to fix the deepening conflict in his parents' relationship as they all try to cope with the emotional and financial strain of caring for an aging relative.
Full of human insight and humour, this is a fast-paced book with an intriguing mystery at its core. With Matson's deft touch, it's also a witty and touching story about family and what we find when we have to face losing those we love.
Twelve-year-old Cooper believes that his grandfather — who is living in a locked Alzheimer's ward — is actually D. B. Cooper, the famous (real) skyjacker who secured a small fortune and vanished in 1971.
Cooper sets out to prove his grandfather's true identity and uncover one of the biggest secrets in modern history. What begins as a distraction for a mystery-loving kid becomes a way of proving himself at school and maybe even trying to fix the deepening conflict in his parents' relationship as they all try to cope with the emotional and financial strain of caring for an aging relative.
Full of human insight and humour, this is a fast-paced book with an intriguing mystery at its core. With Matson's deft touch, it's also a witty and touching story about family and what we find when we have to face losing those we love.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2019
2 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 10, 2019
A fun mystery for the middle-grade mind! As Cooper struggles with some shifts in family and friendships, he distracts himself with a compelling mystery: What if his grandfather is actually the famous DB Cooper who once hijacked a plane and escaped with thousands of dollars?
Cooper is a likable and sympathetic character and some of my favorite sections in the book are his "agent" reports. The book also touches on some serious issues to do with care of the elderly, Alzheimers, and coming of age.
DB Cooper, by the way, was a real person and the hijacking really happened—so there are lots of opportunities for readers to do some extra research and explore the mystery for themselves.
Cooper is a likable and sympathetic character and some of my favorite sections in the book are his "agent" reports. The book also touches on some serious issues to do with care of the elderly, Alzheimers, and coming of age.
DB Cooper, by the way, was a real person and the hijacking really happened—so there are lots of opportunities for readers to do some extra research and explore the mystery for themselves.
April 5, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this book. Cooper Arcano and his best friend, Ali, are fans of The X Files and unsolved mysteries. Cooper's grandfather is losing his memories due to Alzheimer's disease. Somehow Cooper ends up engaged in some fantastical magical thinking. He gets it into his head that his grandfather is the famous outlaw, D.B Cooper and is faking his illness. If Cooper can prove it, then he will come into enough money to cover the cost of his grandfather's care and his parents will stop fighting and not get divorced. He ends up getting himself and his friend into all kinds of trouble before it's all over.
I really appreciated the authenticity of the grandfather's decline and the family's struggle to deal with the emotional and financial stress that accompanied it. I liked the authentic characters - especially of Cooper's mom and his friend Ali. I liked Cooper.
My quibble is that while I understand that Cooper's belief in his hypothesis about his grandfather is connected to his not wanting to acknowledge reality, it just did't work for me. I can't see any of the 12 year old boys I've met getting caught up in this. I would love to be able to give this to some of them and see what they think. Maybe they will enjoy seeing the mistakes Cooper is making before he does.
I really appreciated the authenticity of the grandfather's decline and the family's struggle to deal with the emotional and financial stress that accompanied it. I liked the authentic characters - especially of Cooper's mom and his friend Ali. I liked Cooper.
My quibble is that while I understand that Cooper's belief in his hypothesis about his grandfather is connected to his not wanting to acknowledge reality, it just did't work for me. I can't see any of the 12 year old boys I've met getting caught up in this. I would love to be able to give this to some of them and see what they think. Maybe they will enjoy seeing the mistakes Cooper is making before he does.
February 21, 2022
FINDING COOPER by Stacey Matson
A five-star from both kids and parents.
Twelve-year-old Cooper Arcano is a happy kid. He's got a terrific dog (Dana Scully) and a great best friend, Ali, with whom he shares a wacky sense of humor and a passion for The X-Files. But when Ali meets a new friend at soccer camp, Cooper's parents begin arguing a lot, and Cooper's grandad begins to lose his memory, Cooper feels his life turn upside down. Desperate to find a way to get his old life back, Cooper looks for a solution, and he thinks he's found one in a fifty-year-old, unsolved mystery.
What if his grandad doesn't have Alzheimer's. What if he's only faking to hide that he's the infamous skyjacker, DB Cooper. If Cooper can prove that he can solve all three of his problems.
Cooper believes his grandfather is faking his Alzheimer's to hide the fact that he's really the infamous skyjacker DB Cooper. Cooper Arcano intends to prove it!
FINDING COOPER is a fun mystery with laugh-out-loud moments. But it's also a tender book that deals with family dynamics, the ups and downs of middle-grade friendships, and coming to terms with a grandparent's dementia.
FINDING COOPER is a book a kid would read for fun, and a parent would be delighted to have them read.
A five-star from both kids and parents.
Twelve-year-old Cooper Arcano is a happy kid. He's got a terrific dog (Dana Scully) and a great best friend, Ali, with whom he shares a wacky sense of humor and a passion for The X-Files. But when Ali meets a new friend at soccer camp, Cooper's parents begin arguing a lot, and Cooper's grandad begins to lose his memory, Cooper feels his life turn upside down. Desperate to find a way to get his old life back, Cooper looks for a solution, and he thinks he's found one in a fifty-year-old, unsolved mystery.
What if his grandad doesn't have Alzheimer's. What if he's only faking to hide that he's the infamous skyjacker, DB Cooper. If Cooper can prove that he can solve all three of his problems.
Cooper believes his grandfather is faking his Alzheimer's to hide the fact that he's really the infamous skyjacker DB Cooper. Cooper Arcano intends to prove it!
FINDING COOPER is a fun mystery with laugh-out-loud moments. But it's also a tender book that deals with family dynamics, the ups and downs of middle-grade friendships, and coming to terms with a grandparent's dementia.
FINDING COOPER is a book a kid would read for fun, and a parent would be delighted to have them read.
July 12, 2021
Finding Cooper was an AMAZING book. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was because at the end Cooper didn't exactly solve the mystery, but it was still sOoOoOoOoOoO goooooood!!!!!!! I LOVED IT. I rate it 4.9 stars!!!!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2022
This book looks like it's about a dog named Cooper, but it isn't. The cover needs a different visual.
The MC is sure his Grandpa is faking dementia -- which is disturbing. "I just don't think he really lost all his memories. I think Grandpa knows stuff. He's faking. He's got secrets."
The MC is sure his Grandpa is faking dementia -- which is disturbing. "I just don't think he really lost all his memories. I think Grandpa knows stuff. He's faking. He's got secrets."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2020
Not as funny as her other ones and the ending was a little rushed.
September 25, 2019
Cooper is only half-convinced that his grandfather is the mysterious skyjacker who once escaped with thousands of dollars. But when his frenemy, Tristan, doubts his story, Cooper sets off on a determined quest to prove that Grandpa led a double life. The plot has plenty of unexpected twists, turns, and skydives, and Cooper is a highly entertaining detective. Young readers looking for action, mystery, and humour will love this book. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews