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lemon_drop's review against another edition
5.0
Quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite authors...
that_person_logan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
4.0
I very much loved this book, perhaps especially because it reminded me so strongly of one of my favorite children's books - [b:Sam, Bangs & Moonshine|1025560|Sam, Bangs & Moonshine (Owlet Book)|Evaline Ness|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266698930s/1025560.jpg|742307] by Evaline Ness. While the tone of [b:Keeper|6609700|Keeper |Kathi Appelt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275781226s/6609700.jpg|6803667] is much less sorrowful, some of the themes are very similar - the loss of a mother, the search for family, the escape into a fantasy world, the desire to find a magical way to make everything okay. Both books nicely capture the fantastical world that children live in where simple actions fix complex problems.
Beautifully written and illustrated, this book captures so much magic - like fireflies in a bottle or the sound of the waves on the shore. Highly recommended for children 8 to 98.
Beautifully written and illustrated, this book captures so much magic - like fireflies in a bottle or the sound of the waves on the shore. Highly recommended for children 8 to 98.
corncobwebs's review against another edition
Keeper's flighty mother left her when she was just three, leaving the girl with a makeshift family: Signe, Dogie, Mr. Beauchamps, BD, Too, and Captain - all the human and non-human residents of Oyster Ridge Road. To lessen the pain of her mother's disappearance, Signe tells Keeper that she is a mermaid who swam away when Keeper was just a tiny child. And for the most part, Keeper is happy with her cobbled-together family, despite the absence of her biological mother. How can you miss someone that you barely remember? But Keeper's family is nearly dashed to pieces (or so she thinks) one day when everything goes wrong, and it all seems to be her fault. The only way Keeper can think of to make things right is to find her mermaid mother and ask her for advice. So off she goes in Dogie's little boat, the Scamper, floating out to sea with BD and Captain and a storm brewing in the distance. Though her mother isn't really a mermaid, there's still some magic in the air that helps to deliver Keeper, BD, and Captain safely back to shore - and the ordeal of Keeper's disappearance brings the whole family closer together.
Here's something that I found really interesting about this book. It has an implied gay couple, but I haven't heard any censorship talk surrounding this title. Usually when there's anything remotely gay in children's lit, there's some radically conservative parent who throws a fit. I read recently that Luv Ya Bunches was pulled from Scholastic Book Fairs because some parents objected to one of the characters having lesbian parents. I wonder, then, how this book is different? How can some books with gay elements fly under the radar, and others get bashed?
Here's something that I found really interesting about this book. It has an implied gay couple, but I haven't heard any censorship talk surrounding this title. Usually when there's anything remotely gay in children's lit, there's some radically conservative parent who throws a fit. I read recently that Luv Ya Bunches was pulled from Scholastic Book Fairs because some parents objected to one of the characters having lesbian parents. I wonder, then, how this book is different? How can some books with gay elements fly under the radar, and others get bashed?
couillac's review against another edition
4.0
The suspense of this story kept me going even as it felt longer and longer. I loved the characters and the quirky little family that their neighborhood forms. As a reader, you can't help but root for the love story and for everyone to find their way back to each other as you know they will - but boy do you have to wait! Keeper is an extraordinarily real child as well in whom readers will see themselves even as they want to scream at her not to continue on with her perilous journey. My only complaint is that the suspense went on a bit too long, and the relief at the release was just as much to finally be done as it was to see all the pieces come together.
readingdate's review against another edition
4.0
I read a borrowed ARC of this book.
A sweet and charming fantasy tale for middle grade readers. Beautifully written, KEEPER tells the story of a 10 year old girl who has grown up believing in mermaids and magic. After a terrible day, she embarks on an adventure to try to make things right again.
KEEPER is a story of family, friendship, heartbreak, hope, adventure, magic and love written in a poetic style. I fell for the characters who live on the island with Keeper.
An enjoyable read for a summer day- I would have loved to read this as a kid!
A sweet and charming fantasy tale for middle grade readers. Beautifully written, KEEPER tells the story of a 10 year old girl who has grown up believing in mermaids and magic. After a terrible day, she embarks on an adventure to try to make things right again.
KEEPER is a story of family, friendship, heartbreak, hope, adventure, magic and love written in a poetic style. I fell for the characters who live on the island with Keeper.
An enjoyable read for a summer day- I would have loved to read this as a kid!
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
5.0
You know how there are some people who really like fire and others who really like water? Well, I think I am both. I love the ocean, yet I also love a nice bonfire. Keeper by Kathi Appelt called to mind a glorious vacation by the ocean which I once had. I read this entire book in the car in less than two hours. I know its weird, but I like to sit in the car while my boyfriend coaches soccer. There are no distractions and I get a lot of reading done during his games. While I read this, I was not in the car, I was transported to a beach near the Gulf of Mexico. Keeper just had this tangible salt air taste to it. Upon closing the book, I was sad to be in upstate NY and not on some beach.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
kalb924's review against another edition
5.0
One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Part magic, part realism this book will touch your heart with its themes of family, love, and forgiveness.
newtealeaves's review against another edition
Yay i finished the book! Wow it was good. It went from one story to another and different points of views, including animals. This book was recomended to me and that person made a smart move recomending it to me
greenbeanteenqueen's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Keeper is a quite beautifully written and lyrical book. Although the book comes in at 400 pages, the chapters are short and the pages read quickly, so the book never feels too daunting.
The plot jumps around from present day to past and from this evening to earlier that morning. We slowly see Keeper's story unfold and see what went so terribly wrong on her blue moon day to make Keeper end up in a boat in the middle of the night. Not only do we get Keeper's story, but we are introduced to a cast of surrounding characters-from humans to animals-and we get to know their stories as well. There are three main stories that connect together as one and it's not just the humans that help tell these stories but their animals as well, which I thought gave the book a unique touch. (Now if you know me, you know I'm always nervous to read books with animals, but I can give Keeper my stamp of approval for animal lovers!)
Although the book is marketed to tweens, the writing and the story feels a bit more advanced, so I think Keeper would make a perfect book to hand those advanced tweens who complain that children's books are "too easy." There's also something about this book with the lyrical writing that begs to be read aloud.
While not a fairy tale exactly, there are some fairy tale type aspects to it, so I think readers who enjoy a bit of magic in their stories will enjoy Keeper.
Book Pairings: I think Keeper would pair nicely with Savvy by Ingrid Law (another contemporary book with magic), or Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord
Keeper is a quite beautifully written and lyrical book. Although the book comes in at 400 pages, the chapters are short and the pages read quickly, so the book never feels too daunting.
The plot jumps around from present day to past and from this evening to earlier that morning. We slowly see Keeper's story unfold and see what went so terribly wrong on her blue moon day to make Keeper end up in a boat in the middle of the night. Not only do we get Keeper's story, but we are introduced to a cast of surrounding characters-from humans to animals-and we get to know their stories as well. There are three main stories that connect together as one and it's not just the humans that help tell these stories but their animals as well, which I thought gave the book a unique touch. (Now if you know me, you know I'm always nervous to read books with animals, but I can give Keeper my stamp of approval for animal lovers!)
Although the book is marketed to tweens, the writing and the story feels a bit more advanced, so I think Keeper would make a perfect book to hand those advanced tweens who complain that children's books are "too easy." There's also something about this book with the lyrical writing that begs to be read aloud.
While not a fairy tale exactly, there are some fairy tale type aspects to it, so I think readers who enjoy a bit of magic in their stories will enjoy Keeper.
Book Pairings: I think Keeper would pair nicely with Savvy by Ingrid Law (another contemporary book with magic), or Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord