Review: The Keeper by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Author: Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: February 2022

 

The first letter turns up on his desk. The second is stuck between the spokes of his bike. The third flies through the kitchen window.

And they are all addressed to James from someone called the Keeper.

Moving from Texas to Oregon was a bad idea. No sooner have James and his family arrived in their “perfect” new town than he starts getting mysterious and sinister letters from someone called the Keeper. Someone who claims to be watching him. Someone who is looking for “young blood.” James and his sister, Ava, are obviously in danger. But the problem with making a fuss about moving and having a history of playing practical jokes is that no one believes James—not even his parents.

Now James and Ava need to figure out who is sending the letters before they become the next victims in their neighborhood’s long history of missing children. Because one thing is clear: uncovering the truth about the Keeper is the only thing that will keep them alive.

The Keeper is a middle grade horror story involving siblings, James and Ava.  When they move to a new state, they start getting weird letters addressed to James.  Is it a prank or something more sinister?  This is exactly the type of story I would have loved in middle school.  It was engaging, mysterious and scary.  I mean, I'm an adult, so the horror was mild for me. But, I know I would have been on the edge of my seat had I read this in middle school.  

One of the things I really enjoyed about the book was the family dynamic.  I loved that their parents were present and involved in their lives.  I also loved the sibling rivalry and prank war that James and Ava had going on.  They may have fought, but when it came down to the wire, family meant the world to them. It proved to be their strength.  It was a great lesson.  I loved the stories and advise  that their grandmother left for them in videos before she died.  

James and his family are Mexican American and this also plays a large role in the story.  They use a lot of Spanish words and phrases.   I don't know Spanish.  But listening to the audio book, I was able to figure out a lot of the words through context.   I do know the print version has a glossary for non-Spanish speaking readers.  I was happy to see that it was included.  It allows for kids to be fully engaged while also learning about another culture and language.   I highly recommend this one and think it would be a great addition to any middle grade library.