Getten, Kereen. If You Read This. Delacorte Press, 2022. 978-0-593-17004-5.$16.99. 168 p. Grades 4-7.
It has been three years since Brie’s free-wheeling, spontaneous, loving mother succumbed to cancer. Papa buries himself in work at the Jamaican resort he manages, and Brie feels invisible to him and her Nana. Only her good friends, Smiley and Femi keep her going. When Brie’s twelfth birthday arrives, she is unhappily surprised by a big party with everyone she knows from her close knit island neighborhood. Only the bestowal of a special gift from her deceased Mama makes the day memorable. Inside a box, Brie finds letters from her Mama taking her on a treasure hunt to her Grandfather Brim’s home in search of a secret door. Her father arranges for the trip, which turns into a family affair with aunt, uncle, grandmother, and best friends, but he does not accompany them–disobeying her mother’s directives. Grandfather Brim’s home is magical and organic with tree-chairs, fairy lights, and bright colors. Brim has dementia, though, and now lives in a care facility. With each letter, Brie receives another clue to finding the secret door; but can’t shake her disappointment that her Papa isn’t with her, convincing her that he must not care about her. In one of the letters, Mama tells Brie of a key which leads to a visit to Grandfather Brim at the care home and his abduction by Brie. Her actions enable her to get the necessary key, but incur Papa’s anger. Brie finds the secret place her Mama intended for her and discovers her father’s hand in this special gift. This revelation helps to restore Brie’s and Papa’s relationship and secure a plan to include Brim and this unique place in her life. This heart-warming story of loss and love includes Jamaican dialect and cultural traditions that create an authentic setting.
THOUGHTS: Author Kereen Geffen creates strong characters, from Brie’s effusive mother, to her insightful friend Femi, to the town’s bus driver, Jackfruit–all are described deftly. In addition to dealing with her grief and consequent feelings of inadequacy, Brie has to cope with her grandfather’s dementia. He recognizes Brie as his daughter. Brie remembers her mother’s cavalier ways fondly, but Papa had to deal with some negative backlash from his wife’s impulsivity. The vehicle of the letters leading to the secret room is different, especially since it entails only three letters with clues to a specific place. Readers who like family stories or who have suffered the death of someone close may like this book.
Realistic Fiction Bernadete Cooke, School District of Philadelphia
