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Eyes in the Fishbowl
Newbery Medal winner Zilpha Keatley Snyder delves into the paranormal in this story of a teenage boy who makes an extraordinary discovery
The whole thing started six years ago when Dion James was around eight or nine. He got a shoe-shining gig on the corner of Palm and Eighth, outside the big glass-and-bronze doors of Alcott-Simpson’s department store. With his unruly hair and bad limp from polio, Dion looked like a refugee. Envisioning himself one day working at Alcott-Simpson’s, he cleans up his act and starts dressing better.
Fourteen-year-old Dion still dreams of working at the luxury department store when he sees a girl with big black eyes and long black hair pursued by store detectives for stealing a sweater. A few days later, Dion is in the store when he hears a scream, and all hell breaks loose. Locked in after the store empties out, Dion sees a familiar the sweater thief. Her name is Sara, and soon she and Dion are eyewitnesses to a bizarre series of events that have no rational explanation.
Who is Sara? And why is there a pair of eyes in the mink-lined fishbowl?
This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
The whole thing started six years ago when Dion James was around eight or nine. He got a shoe-shining gig on the corner of Palm and Eighth, outside the big glass-and-bronze doors of Alcott-Simpson’s department store. With his unruly hair and bad limp from polio, Dion looked like a refugee. Envisioning himself one day working at Alcott-Simpson’s, he cleans up his act and starts dressing better.
Fourteen-year-old Dion still dreams of working at the luxury department store when he sees a girl with big black eyes and long black hair pursued by store detectives for stealing a sweater. A few days later, Dion is in the store when he hears a scream, and all hell breaks loose. Locked in after the store empties out, Dion sees a familiar the sweater thief. Her name is Sara, and soon she and Dion are eyewitnesses to a bizarre series of events that have no rational explanation.
Who is Sara? And why is there a pair of eyes in the mink-lined fishbowl?
This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
133 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1968
74 people want to read
About the author
Zilpha Keatley Snyder
82 books457 followersZilpha Keatley Snyder was an American author of books for children and young adults. Three of Snyder's works were named Newbery Honor books: The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid and The Witches of Worm. She was most famous for writing adventure stories and fantasies.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 26, 2019
Fourteen-year-old Dion, discontented with the relaxed life-style his musician-father leads, and longing for a more conventional, material existence, spends much of his time at the upscale Alcott-Simpson Department Store. But as strange things begin to happen at the store, Dion finds himself falling in love with the beautiful Sara, who seems to be at the center of it all. Is Dion's first love a shop-lifter, or something far more dangerous?
This book, out-of-print for some time, is Snyder's fifth novel, and the weakest of her early work. Although quite perceptive in her appreciation that youthful rebellion can manifest itself in many ways, the author fails to imbue Eyes in the Fishbowl with her trademark blend of breathless suspense and wonder at the intoxicating power of the imagination. I found myself mostly indifferent, both to the protagonist and to the supernatural possibilities of the story. More than any other early Zilpha Keatley Snyder work, this had a dated feel to it.
This book, out-of-print for some time, is Snyder's fifth novel, and the weakest of her early work. Although quite perceptive in her appreciation that youthful rebellion can manifest itself in many ways, the author fails to imbue Eyes in the Fishbowl with her trademark blend of breathless suspense and wonder at the intoxicating power of the imagination. I found myself mostly indifferent, both to the protagonist and to the supernatural possibilities of the story. More than any other early Zilpha Keatley Snyder work, this had a dated feel to it.
March 15, 2008
Recently returned to me from a friend, the story is not nearly as good as the story of me discarding it.
June 4, 2011
Dion James has been a fan of Alcott-Simpson's, the big department store in the city where he lives, since the time he first saw it, back when he was eight or nine and shining shoes on the sidewalks. The first time he went inside, it made an impression:
Dion, who's now almost fifteen, lives with his dad in a ramshackle Victorian that his dad inherited from his family: his dad grew up rich but doesn't much care about money, and now doesn't have much of it. The Victorian, once a family home, is now subdivided, with Dion and his dad living on the second floor and renting out the ground floor to a family and the attic to three college students—though everyone's always hanging out on the second floor, anyhow. Dion's dad is a music teacher, and isn't very strict about collecting on payments from his students—or from the people he rents his house to—and Dion resents how his dad's so easygoing as to be kind of a pushover. So Dion works odd jobs to get cash for himself, and continues hanging out in the opulence of Alcott-Simpson's, where over the years he's made a few friends among the clerks.
But not all is well at Alcott-Simpson's: there have been rumors of "some kind of gang of thieves and vandals," and one day Dion sees a well-dressed girl who's apparently shoplifting an expensive cashmere sweater (15). It's weird, though: the girl, with a store detective in close pursuit, turns down a hallway that Dion knows is a dead-end leading only to locked storerooms. But the detective quickly comes back, looking dazed, and there's no trace of the girl. That's not the only strange thing that happens, and isn't the only time Dion sees that girl: soon, he's obsessed with the question of who she is and what, exactly, is going on.
I read this book when I had a bad cold and reading anything other than a kids' book seemed impossibly mentally taxing, and it was good company in my feverish state, but it's a pretty slight mystery/romance. My favorite thing about it might be the great (and very 1960s) illustrations by Alton Raible.
After the ordinary winter world outside, dirty gray with a cold wet wind, inside Alcott-Simpson's was like being on a different planet. The warmth was clean and smooth and loaded with something that was too high class to be called a smell. As a matter of fact, I was still standing just inside the door trying to sort out the smell—I'd gotten about as far as new cloth and leather and perfume and dollar bills—when somebody came along and invited me out. From then on, I was always prowling around Alcott-Simpson's—and being invited out from time to time. (5)
Dion, who's now almost fifteen, lives with his dad in a ramshackle Victorian that his dad inherited from his family: his dad grew up rich but doesn't much care about money, and now doesn't have much of it. The Victorian, once a family home, is now subdivided, with Dion and his dad living on the second floor and renting out the ground floor to a family and the attic to three college students—though everyone's always hanging out on the second floor, anyhow. Dion's dad is a music teacher, and isn't very strict about collecting on payments from his students—or from the people he rents his house to—and Dion resents how his dad's so easygoing as to be kind of a pushover. So Dion works odd jobs to get cash for himself, and continues hanging out in the opulence of Alcott-Simpson's, where over the years he's made a few friends among the clerks.
But not all is well at Alcott-Simpson's: there have been rumors of "some kind of gang of thieves and vandals," and one day Dion sees a well-dressed girl who's apparently shoplifting an expensive cashmere sweater (15). It's weird, though: the girl, with a store detective in close pursuit, turns down a hallway that Dion knows is a dead-end leading only to locked storerooms. But the detective quickly comes back, looking dazed, and there's no trace of the girl. That's not the only strange thing that happens, and isn't the only time Dion sees that girl: soon, he's obsessed with the question of who she is and what, exactly, is going on.
I read this book when I had a bad cold and reading anything other than a kids' book seemed impossibly mentally taxing, and it was good company in my feverish state, but it's a pretty slight mystery/romance. My favorite thing about it might be the great (and very 1960s) illustrations by Alton Raible.
February 28, 2010
Read this book, original hardcover edition, as a girl. I thought it was magical then. I hope I can find a newer print so I can re-read it. I remember loving the ending.
June 3, 2022
Dion James is being raised by his father, living in the old family home. His dad gives music lessons and rents out rooms to local students and a family to provide income.
Besides going to school, Dion has a shoeshine stand outside Alcott-Simpson’s Department Store. It is a posh store that carries pretty much everything and elegantly covers a city block. It is a place Dion has been enamoured of since about age 8 or 9. He enjoys walking through the store and has made friends among the clerks.
Dion notices that the atmosphere of Alcott-Simpson has changed; something strange is going on. When he notices a dark haired girl in the store, who appears to be about his age, he wants to know her. He learns her name is Sara and they do develop a bit of a friendship, but there is a strange part of it, she cannot leave the store! There are also the “Others” that she talks of. Are the “Others” part of the reason there are less and less customers coming to the store?
When Dion learns that Sara may be leaving the store, he becomes determined not to lose her. He is willing to go to any lengths to keep her in his life.
This story has a fantasy side to the real life side. Through it Dion learns much about himself and also his relationship with his father. The characters learning more about themselves is a frequent theme in Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s books. A good combination in a story line for all ages.
Besides going to school, Dion has a shoeshine stand outside Alcott-Simpson’s Department Store. It is a posh store that carries pretty much everything and elegantly covers a city block. It is a place Dion has been enamoured of since about age 8 or 9. He enjoys walking through the store and has made friends among the clerks.
Dion notices that the atmosphere of Alcott-Simpson has changed; something strange is going on. When he notices a dark haired girl in the store, who appears to be about his age, he wants to know her. He learns her name is Sara and they do develop a bit of a friendship, but there is a strange part of it, she cannot leave the store! There are also the “Others” that she talks of. Are the “Others” part of the reason there are less and less customers coming to the store?
When Dion learns that Sara may be leaving the store, he becomes determined not to lose her. He is willing to go to any lengths to keep her in his life.
This story has a fantasy side to the real life side. Through it Dion learns much about himself and also his relationship with his father. The characters learning more about themselves is a frequent theme in Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s books. A good combination in a story line for all ages.
August 22, 2019
I remember really digging ZK Snyder's books as a kid. As an adult, I volunteered for a literacy nonprofit for a while and noticed that kids still like her books! She's good with mysteries/thrillers that don't talk down to young readers too much.
February 26, 2020
Snyder's books often feel timeless, even when using outdated slang or fashion references. But this one shows its age - maybe because of the heavy focus on the store. I was also disappointed with the only partial explanation / motivation for bringing the spirits over.
February 10, 2019
Different!
I enjoyed the story and it was very well written,interesting and not too long. I really enjoyed the sweet story.
I enjoyed the story and it was very well written,interesting and not too long. I really enjoyed the sweet story.
March 31, 2020
I remember getting this out of the library when I was in elementary school.
September 12, 2009
'Loved this book, but I'm still going to weed it. Original edition and the jacket's long gone - no appealing cover. Plus, now that 6th grade has left our building, I think the last quarter of the book is better for those in middle school than elementary. Started Snyder's The Changeling and really like it. Wonder if I'll weed that one, too.
July 24, 2015
I'm rereading a bunch of middle grade books I loved as a kid, and I can definitely see how the weird illogical logic of this book (totally real world situation with a possible real world solution but TWIST: the actual solution is supernatural.) impacted my child's mind. Can't wait for my holds on the Egypt Game and Headless Cupid to come in.
August 9, 2008
Nothing about this story appealed to me.
December 27, 2014
Fast good read for mystery lover.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews