In all of his work, Bellairs writes from the young person's point of view, describing action, characters, and settings, as that person views them. Additionally, he conveys the young person's reactions to people and situations, and shows the worries and fears young people suffer as they try to resolve their problems. At the same time, Bellairs depicts the kinds of pleasures that make life worth living—the taste of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day; a warm meal served up by a loving parent, grandparent, or special friend; that special radio program that allows a young person's imagination to wander through realms outside his or her hometown.

The author's re-creation of this childhood perspective—with its wonderful warmth and its troublesome fears—is something that all young readers can immediately recognize and that all older readers can remember with fondness.