Secret Keeper by Gloria Whelan

Secret Keeper by Gloria Whelan

From National Book Award finalist, Mitali Perkins, comes a dramatic tale about a displaced Indian family in the 1970s.

When Asha's father loses his job and leaves India to look for work in America, Asha Gupta, her older sister, Reet, and their mother must wait with Baba's brother and his family, as well as their grandmother, in Calcutta. Uncle is welcoming, but in a country steeped in tradition, the three women must abide by his decisions. Asha knows this is temporary--just until Baba sends for them.

But with scant savings and time passing, the tension builds: Ma, prone to spells of sadness, finds it hard to submit to her mother- and sister-in-law; Reet's beauty attracts unwanted marriage proposals; and Asha's promise to take care of Ma and Reet leads to impulsive behavior.

Asha's only solace is her rooftop hideaway, where she pours her heart out in her diary, and where she begins a clandestine friendship with Jay Sen, the boy next door--against the rules of the house. Asha can hardly believe that she, and not Reet, is the object of Jay's attention.

But when tragedy strikes, Asha must make a painful choice that will change their lives forever

Well-developed characters, funny dialogue, and the authentic depiction of spunky Asha's longing for romance and female self-determination, set in a culture that restrains women's choices, make this book an attractive pick.--School Library Journal

Achingly realistic.--Kirkus

An intimate and absorbing drama.--Publisher's Weekly

Heartbreaking and hopeful. --ALA Booklist

Gloria and her husband Joseph moved from Detroit to the woods of northern Michigan several years ago. Many of Gloria's books take place during the summer -- because she does a lot of her writing during the northern Michigan blizzards! Gloria has been telling stories for as long as she can remember. Before she could read or write, she used to dictate stories to her baby-sitter, who would type them out. Being an only child, many of Gloria's stories were about having a brother or sister. Gloria would like to have written Little Women, because Jo March was one of her role models growing up! Gloria once had a set of five wtching guinea pigs, all named after Detroit Tiger baseball players!

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780679807025
ISBN 10	0679807020
Title	Secret Keeper
Author	Gloria Whelan
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Random House Books for Young Readers
Year published	1991-03-27
Number of pages	0
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.