My Cousin's Keeper
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1.0 • 1 Rating
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
When the odd new kid at school turns out to be his cousin, Kieran feels embarrassed and resentful. But how far will he let the bullying go? Eleven-year-old Kieran wants to be part of the "in" group at school. He wants to be on the soccer team. He wants to fit in. But then his weird cousin Bon turns up, both at school and at home. Bon knows nothing about fitting in, with his long blond braid, babyish hand-knit hat, and funny, precise voice. Bon doesn’t play sports, and he likes to draw imaginary maps with stories about "Bon the Crusader" and "Kieran the Brave." He’s an easy target for teasing, and Kieran has little patience for him. Even more irritating, Bon’s only friend is the other new kid, a cool girl named Julia who wears cowboy boots and has a confidence that fascinates Kieran. What could she and Bon possibly have in common? With unflinching honesty, My Cousin’s Keeper takes on childhood jealousy, family secrets, and unexpected kindness.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
There's a vaguely disturbing undercurrent in French's (Where in the World) perceptive book about 11-year-old Kieran and his strange cousin, Bon, who briefly appears in his life when both boys are nine just long enough to steal two of Kieran's favorite toys. Two years later, to Kieran's dismay, Bon's peripatetic mother, who struggles with mental and emotional problems, settles him with Kieran's family, and in his school. Bon's appearance, demeanor, and unusual interests make him a target for bullying, and Kieran, striving to be popular, does nothing to dissuade the bullies, even uneasily participating in some of the activities. His efforts to distance himself from his cousin while winning favor with another newcomer, the mysterious and confident Julia, are believably depicted, as are Kieran's parents' attempts to cope with the difficult relationship between the boys. The story takes on a quiet emotional power as the boys slowly forge a connection, and although the nature of Bon's mother's instability is never made completely clear, Julia's mystery is cleanly resolved in a way that places the novel firmly in contemporary times. Ages 8 12.
