The Westing Game

Raskin, E. (1978). The Westing Game. New York, NY: E.P. Dutton.

Brief Annotation: A mystery novel that begins when a group of diverse (and seeming strangers) are recruited by an unknown realtor to live in an exclusive lake-side condo. The story heats up when sixteen of the condo residents are named as heirs to a millionaire’s fortune and charged with finding his murderer. The sixteen heirs are paired off (as directed in the will) and the game begins.

Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Novel

Grade Level: 5-8

Readers who will like this: readers who like literature written from multiple characters’ perspectives, students who love brain-teasing mysteries, kids who enjoy page-turners.

Response/Rating (1-4): *** I remember reading this book in fifth grade and becoming totally absorbed by it. Years later, this book still kept me up late, as I was unable to keep from turning the pages. This book is great for young readers because it moves fast, has relatable (yet diverse) characters, and concludes in an uplifting way that ties up all loose ends.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever been dared to do something scary or dangerous?

Reading Strategies Connection: Character Carousel (Yopp & Yopp, 71-73). Using a character carousel with the The Westing Game, after students have read through chapter 9, will help students begin to look at character development, an important task in reading, but especially in this mystery novel. The teacher will post 16 sheets of paper around the room, each with the name of a Westing heir at the top. Students will be instructed to circulate the room, stopping at each character’s sheet to either add descriptions or to read what classmates have written. While completing the activity, encourage students to discuss their views of the characters with others. After the exercise is finished, leave the character sheets posted around the room so that students can refer to them as they continue to read the book.