Commander Coatrack Returns [Hardcover]

Joseph McNair (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

When thirteen-year-old Lisa's retarded five-year-old brother starts becoming more independent and growing away from her, and she finds herself disagreeing with an ultra-feminist friend, she begins a game of make-believe with a new boy at school which initially defends them both from life's hurts, but ultimately prevents them from dealing with real life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lisa, 13, has always been in charge of her disabled brother Cody, five; he took up so much of her time that she never bothered making any friends. So when Cody is enrolled in a special school and makes friends of his own, Lisa feels useless and rejected. Enter Robert, the new kid in Lisa's class and the first boy she's ever met whose brain hasn't been rotted by TV. To her pudgy, proto-punk friend Van's disgust, Lisa is drawn to Robert, who assumes a different identity every time he speaks--a bird to Jimmy, the school bully; Elvis Presley to Lisa's mother; a master engineer to Cody. Lisa learns from him--wrongly--that it's often easier to be someone else, which only gets her (and Jimmy) into trouble. In a panicked effort to bring back the way things were, Lisa yanks Cody out of school and tries to play his once-favorite game with him--with disastrous results. It's only then that she realizes that the changes at home are for the better, and that she can be liked and accepted just for who she is. In this odd, likable first novel, McNair interweaves seemingly disparate themes to produce a fresh, funny story with some pungent insights on growing up. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9?Lisa is overprotective of her younger brother, a special-needs child for whom she has devised an intricate fantasy world in this tender novel about growing up, accepting change, and self-sacrifice. A provocative look at family roles and learning that part of love is letting go.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 188 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (Juv); 1St Edition edition (April 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039548295X
• ISBN-13: 978-0395482957
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,658,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.