Del-Del [Hardcover]

Victor Kelleher (Author), Peter Clarke (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1992 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

A teenage girl in Sydney, Australia, records how her family is devasted by her older sister's death and by the bizarre behavior of her gifted younger brother, who seems to be possessed by a coldly unfeeling entity.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This novel's unusual title befits its mad foray into the occult, science fiction and severe psychosis. Beth, 18, looks back on the events of the past four years, beginning with the anniversary of her sister's death from leukemia. Sam, a stoic seven-year-old genius, suddenly changes from a docile brother to an uncontrollable child he calls Del-Del (from the constellation Delphinus). Convinced that the boy is possessed by the devil, his distraught family consults an exorcist, whose work temporarily mitigates the ravings. But it is Beth who ultimately risks her life to uncover the psychological foundation of Del-Del's genesis. Kelleher ( Brother Night ) plots an unusual course for a sibling death theme, with confusing results. Beth's deft narration admits to the red herrings that confound the family (and pad the story): the theory, for example, that Del-Del is inhabiting Sam's body while on earth. The dialogue, dotted with expletives, slows the proceedings when Sam speaks in backwardly spelled English, and Grandma's heavy Polish dialect grows tedious. A pat resolution may annoy readers who have the persistence to reach the novel's end. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10-- From Australia comes this tense, involving story of child-prodigy Sam's retreat into another personality one year after the death of his beloved oldest sister. The family was going to the cemetery, 14-year-old Beth tells readers, when Sam suddenly refuses to go and retreats into his bedroom cupboard where he becomes Del-Del. Day by day, there's less of Sam and more of the cold, calculating Del-Del, whose frightening influence nearly destroys a family already damaged by their inability to cope with grief. As Beth's father and mother fight with each other and alternately plead with and badger Sam/Del-Del, Beth fears that they will lose him entirely. From nailing up the cupboard to having an exorcist in and taking him away from the house, the family tries to drive out what seems to be an alien presence, and at one point seems to have succeeded. Then, afraid to tell her pressured family the truth, Beth kidnaps her brother, driving with him to a rain-drenched cliff where she is nearly killed and only Sam (not Del-Del) can save her. It's a riveting ending. Although some scenes are overlong, the tension holds throughout, with sharp-edged dialogue, well-delineated characters, and strong family dynamics. A psychological thriller that's guaranteed to hold readers' attention. --Sara Miller, Nassau Library System, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Company; 1St Edition edition (March 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802781543
• ISBN-13: 978-0802781543
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,447,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars del-del is chilling, October 7, 2000

By 

"absentwithoutleave" (melbourne, vic Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Del-Del (Hardcover)

This book is one of the spookiest I have ever read. Reading it as a adult I don't know if I could have coped with it as a child, although my son and daughter did. They enjoyed it so much they insisted that Mum and Dad read it too, so we did. Although written and set in Australian it is absolutely universal and could have been set anywhere there are children with grief to deal with. A totally outstanding piece of work that I had to read in one sitting. Please read this book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic, July 10, 2000

By 

Peter Cass (Nambour, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Del-Del (Hardcover)

As an avid reader of the age of 25, this book has been my favourite book of all time since the age of 10. highly recomended. a great spiritual journey!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kelleher shows once again who is the Boss, April 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Del-Del (Hardcover)

I love all of Kelleher's work, and this is no exception. This book differs from the earlier adventure stories, it concerns the strange issue of being possessed. Much can be learnt from from these characters when we realise that everything must not be taken at face value. Fantastic!!