| The Cuckoo's Child | 
 enlarge | Author: Suzanne Freeman
Publisher: Greenwillow
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $1.00
You Save: $15.95 (94%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 1856947
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 1
ISBN: 0688142907
EAN: 9780688142902
ASIN: 0688142907
Publication Date: March 21, 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Mia Veery wants her family to behave like the families she reads about. They would never include a mother who flies airplanes and trades one husband for another. Or older sisters who dress all in black and read French novels. Or a father who moves his family from Ohio to live in Lebanon, where even the tangy air tastes foreign. Every day in Beirut, Mia wishes she could live the way kids are living in America in 1962, eating hot dogs, drinking real milk, maybe watching Bonanza on TV. Then her wish comes true, but in a way she'd never intended. Mia is sent back to the United States, to Tennessee, to stay with an aunt she's never met. During a summer spent longing for her parents and trying to find her place in her new surroundings, Mia figures out a few truths about families and all that they can and cannot be. Mia Veery is fierce, funny, and finally, indomitable. Her story marks the extraordinary debut of a talented writer.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 The Cuckoos Child Review January 26, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Traveling to Tennessee due to their parents being lost at sea was not an easy task to swallow. Mia, and her two older sisters, Bibi and Nell, went to live with their Aunt Kit whom they had never met. Since Mia was dealing with the fact that her parents were lost at sea, she was very hard to talk to. Because of this, Mia's Aunt Kit sends her to Bible School in hope that she would improve behaviorally wise. At Bible School, she meets a girl named Sinclair and they both become best friends. Sinclair and Mia become best friends, but when they get into a fight, Mia decides that she will join another group called the Devotions, who are the leaders of Bible School. Eventually, Mia and Sinclair make up and create their own group where they write poems. Mia writes a poem and decides to call it "The Cuckoo Child". This book has many characteristics that you don't see in other books.
Mia reacted to her being orphaned in a repulsive, unhappy attitude. When she had arrived at the ceremony and was so upset because everyone else's parents were there she climbed up into a tree. She stayed their until her family had came and found her. Because of her having to realize the fact that she was orphaned she had many mixed emotions. In this book, I think that in some cases her approach on things would have been completely different if she wasn't dealing with that fact. I really liked how the author depicted that in this book.
Mia's dream was to return to her homeland America. When her parents were lost at sea she got to fulfill this dream. Throughout the whole beginning of this book the author talked about this and Mia's feelings toward America. She always said that she was missing out on the American childhood. When she was orphaned she was devastated, but along with that I think she had a side of her that thought of how she was fulfilling her dream, and going back to America. In another look at things, Mia was going to her Aunt Kit's house whom she had never met. She may have had her two step sisters with her, but that was also a major impact to the story.
In the beginning of this book it was really slow. All it talked about was Mia's dream to going to America. As the story went on, more details were put in and the story became more interesting. For two chapters or more, though, the main subject was Mia and her dream. When she got over to America the real story began.
This book is not a book for those who like adventure novels. It is more of a dramatic book dealing with some mystery, where you wonder if her parents will ever come back. This book would also be good for anyone that has ever doubted themselves. Mia felt alienated in both countries she lived in. She had to adjust to the habitat, but could never find anywhere that actually "fit".
-H. Cooper
 Mrs.Johnson's Book Review Project October 18, 2004
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Mia is an 11 year old girl living with her aunt in Tennessee. She has two older sisters, Bibi and Nell, who consider themselves first before anyone else. Mia, Bibi, and Nell live with their aunt Kit, because Mia's parents are traveling through Europe. When Mia finds out her parents are lost at sea she becomes angry and impossible to talk to. Because of her behavior Mia's aunt sends her to bible school, where she meets a girl named Sinclair. Mia and Sinclair become best friends and even make up their own club about saints. Sinclair is obsessed with saints, she even took a saints book from the library and hasn't returned it for a few years. When the two friends get into an argument, Mia joins the popular group at school, called the Devotions. The Devotions are the rulers of bible school, they always call you and tell you what to wear, so you don't look like the other groups from school. When the final day of school arrives, all the parents and students get together, at school, for awards and cookies at the end. Mia was still upset about her parents, so she didn't tell her family about the ceremony. When she arrived at the ceremony, she was so upset she climbed in a tree. When the Devotions saw her, they told her to get down but she wouldn't. Corrine, the leader of the Devotions, got mad and banished her from them. When Mia's family finally found her, she got down and left home with her family. Mia tried to get a hold of Sinclair, but she couldn't, so she went to her house. Mia found her there and apologized for getting into a fight with her. They became best friends again and made up a new club, abut writing poems. They started brain storming and Mia thought of a title The Cuckoo's Child.
I thought this book was a pretty good book. It wasn't the best book I've read, but it was interesting. At the beginning of the book it was boring because it just kept on explaining why Mia moved, the names of the characters, and how she reacted when she moved from Europe to America. In the middle of the book the story got interesting. It told the problem of the story and what Mia did when the found out that her parents were missing. I think people should read this book because it has a lot of different themes and because the author uses many descriptive words and details, so you won't get lost in the story. The people who should read this book are people who like fiction, some mystery, and drama genres, because this book has them all.
 Not just for kids March 24, 2000
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is one of those books that has a child for a narrator but speaks to all ages, especially those of us who remember the feel and details of life in 1962. It has the unchildlike true voice found in To Kill a Mockingbird or Member of the Wedding. Most of all it captures, with humor and quiet drama, one's growing inner life and the struggle to guide that life by the signposts of the outer world. Look for the passages on eating cookies, touching the clock dial -- you'll see what I mean. It's a treasure.
Wonderful book! December 14, 1999
When i first saw the book I thought it was going to be stupid but, i was soo wrong this book is now one of my favorites and i have read it 3 times already! so if your thinking of buying this book or just reading it, You definatly should!
It blew me away November 12, 1999
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is amazing! Mia's dream was to return to her homeland,America,but her wish wassn't granted the way she expected. When her bohemian parents got lost at sea,she and her eccentric older half-sisters were sent to their aunt in Tennessee. Orphaned and unable to fit in with other kids,Mia was as unhappy there as she had been in Beirut. She felt alienated in both countries and didn't appreciate her parents until they got taken from her. Then,she slowly reverted to compulsive behavior. I knew how she felt in her isolation,wondering if she would ever catch up to her new friends in matters such as love. I became totally immersed in the story. For anyone who's ever doubted whether they belong,I reccomend this book. Please,Mrs. Freeman,write a sequel! We want to know if Mia's parents ever come back.
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