''Cathy's Book: If Found Call (650) 266-8233'' is a

young adult A young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of ...

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

with

alternative reality game An alternate reality game (ARG) is an interactive networked narrative that uses the real world as a platform and employs transmedia storytelling to deliver a story that may be altered by players' ideas or actions. The form is defined by inten ...

elements by

Sean Stewart Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angliciz ...

and

Jordan Weisman Jordan Weisman is an American game designer, author, and serial entrepreneur who has founded five game design companies, each in a different game genre and segment of the industry. Biography Weisman graduated from Francis W. Parker High School, ...

illustrated An illustration is a decoration, interpretation or visual explanation of a text, concept or process, designed for integration in print and digital published media, such as posters, flyers, magazines, books, teaching materials, animations, video ...

by Cathy Brigg. It was first published October 3, 2006 by

Running Press Running Press is an American publishing company and member of the Perseus Books Group. The publisher's offices are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with many of the corporate functions taking place in Perseus' New York City headquarters. I ...

. It includes an evidence packet filled with letters, phone numbers, pictures, and birth certificates, as well as doodles and notes written by Cathy in the page margins.

Synopsis

The book follows a teenage girl whose boyfriend has left her. Wanting to find out why, she follows clues with her best friend. These lead to various explanations. In a

framing device Framing may refer to: * Framing (construction), common carpentry work * Framing (law), providing false evidence or testimony to prove someone guilty of a crime * Framing (social sciences) * Framing (visual arts), a technique used to bring the focu ...

, young and artistic Cathy left the book for Emma, her best friend, so that the latter can use the clues provided and figure out where Cathy went. The story begins when Cathy is dumped by her boyfriend, Victor. The next morning she notices a strange mark on her arm, but sets it aside as a spider bite. She and Emma later determine that the mark on her arm is in fact a needle mark from a blood test Victor performed on Cathy. While trying to confront Victor about the blood test, she encounters various members of the mythical, immortal, Chinese Eight Ancestors, as well as adventure and mystery. It also includes phone numbers which readers can call in order to leave a message for Bianca, Cathy, Victor, Emma, and even Tsao's business, Airwell Organisation.

Recognition

In November 2006, ''Cathy's Book'' debuted at #7 on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list for

Children's Books A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...

Following

Readers/players discuss their theories online about where Cathy ends up after the book, where Victor is, whether Cathy's father is dead or alive, as well as many, many others. Though the book was aimed at an audience of teen girls, the following includes all ages and genders.

Advertising agreements

The book's authors and publishers agreed to include references to the

CoverGirl CoverGirl is an American cosmetics brand founded in Maryland, United States, by the Noxzema Chemical Company. It was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 1989 and later acquired by Coty, Inc. in 2016. The Noxell Company advertised this cosmetics li ...

makeup line in exchange for advertising space on the

BeingGirl BeingGirl was a "kid-friendly" web site targeted at adolescent girls created in 2000 by consumer goods company Procter & Gamble (P&G). It provides information and advice. It is also a marketing tool. History The site was created in 2000, with ...

web site. The references were deleted in the novel's paperback version.M. Rich,
In Books for Young, Two Views on Product Placement
" ''The New York Times'', February 19, 2008

Sequels

Two sequels, '' Cathy's Key'' (2008) and ''Cathy's Ring'' (2009), have been published.

References

{{reflist

External links

Cathy's Book Home Page
2006 American novels Tie-in alternate reality games Young adult fantasy novels American young adult novels Running Press books Alternate reality games