Cuckoo Sister [School & Library Binding]

Vivien Alcock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

A scruffy, undernourished teenager appears at the door of Kate's parents' London home, bearing a note that she is their long-lost child, stolen from her pram as a baby.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Alcock's novels are admired here and in her native England for inventive plotting and crackling dialogue that individualize her unusual characters. Katie Seton, 11, tells the story of upheaval in her affluent home after the arrival of Rosie Martin, a tough 13-year-old from a London slum. Rosie is unaware of what's in the note she has been sent to deliver to the Setons by her mother Louise, and is as angry and disbelieving as Katie. Louise confesses she had stolen the Setons' baby Emma, Katie's sister, long given up for dead. While Mr. Seton tries to determine the truth, Rosie/Emma and Katie regard each other as enemies. The stranger with her lurid clothes and Cockney accent is not the sister Katie had always dreamed of. Rosie wants to get back to her free-and-easy neighborhood, friends and mother. She refuses to be Emma, sister to smarmy Katie. As time goes on, though, the girls soften and become allies during crises that lead to the conclusion of the tense, funny mystery. Rosie is not, as Katie has feared, like the cuckoo hatching in another bird's nest, shoving out the legitimate fledgling.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10 At age five, Kate accidentally learns that she had had an older sister who was kidnapped as a baby. This discovery changes her from a reasonably pliable, pleasant child to one who is manipulative, untrustworthy and rude. The first-person narrative begins with Kate at age five, then skips to Kate at age 11when an equally arrogant slum child, Rosie, comes to their door bearing a note from her "mother" stating that she is the missing Emma. Rosie squawks; Kate sputtersboth are furious. This is not the loving sister Kate had envisioned; Rosie is smothered by the propriety of this London household and the parental doting. Alcock's skillful use of clues keeps readers guessingRosie could be like the young cuckoo who "pushes the true fledgling right out of the nest"or she could be the real Emma. Although the subject is heavy and the emotions intense, the story is not without humor and wit. Kate and Rosie are dynamic characters, their charged emotions clear and believable. The scenes depicting the girls' wavering attitudes toward each other, as well as their disdain for the insensitive adults who believe that they alone are affected by Rosie's appearance are vivid and often funny. A colorful story that radiates with life. Trev Jones, "School Library Journal"
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: Topeka Bindery (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613047869
• ISBN-13: 978-0613047869
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,567,495 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A kid's review, November 27, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Cuckoo Sister (Paperback)

I really disliked this book. For one, I had to read it for school and take notes on it, so that took away the pleasure reading. And when I started it, I couldn't change books. When the librarian told us about what books to read, I thought it would be good, because that was the way she advertised it. But I was wrong.

One of the reasons I didn't like this book was because it was so boring. Being a first person narrative, it only talked from Kate's point of view. Which leads me to the next reason - the characters. Especially the main character, Kate, who I thoguht was extremely selfish. By the way she wrote the book, it seemed like she expected the world to bow down to her and kiss the ground she walked on. One example of this is the part where she tagged along woth Rosie when she went to Hockley. Rosie was going into the pub with all her friends. So Kate thinks, She left without telling me what to do! Where to go! Without offering to bring me a lemonade!

It was mainly the characters that got me. I mean, maybe it's just me, but I also like a happy ending. And a GOOD ending. I don't think that the ending the author gave the book really summed it up. Well, it didn't please me. Neither did any of the book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! This was great!, November 20, 2000

By 

M_Girl (Somewhere in Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cuckoo Sister (School & Library Binding)

Ever since she heard about the mysterious disappearance of her older sister, Emma, from her carriage outside a dress shop two years before she was born, Kate has been fantasizing about meeting her perfect older sister. But when a thin teenager shows up at the door with a note reading, "I had just lost my baby and needed yours when I saw her. Lately I saw in the paper you never got over the loss of your baby so I am returning her to you, love, Louise" Kate is confused. The girl is not at all what she imagined Emma to be, and no one is really sure if it is Emma. The family tries to find out her real identity while the girl searches for Louise, who she thinks as her mother. The ending is nice and the whole story is very enjoyable. It's my second favourite book now because I loved it so much.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The cuckoo sister, March 15, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Cuckoo Sister (School & Library Binding)

I really liked this book.One of the reasons was that i liked the characters,secondly i liked the setting.I think the author of this book did a pretty good job on that.The third reason was the story itself,i think it was a very interesting story.
The best part of the book was when a girl named "Rosie" appeared at theh door,with a note saying that she was the lost baby "Emma".And that was when the conflict started it.
The most vivid elements in the story were the characters,conflict,theme and resolution.The characters were very interesting.Also the conflict.I could really make a small picture of what it was going on,in the book.The theme and resolution were very clear i think.So far this book has been one of the best books i've read.