Secret Keeper - by Mitali Perkins (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1974 when her father leaves New Delhi, India, to seek a job in New York, Ashi, a tomboy at the advanced age of sixteen, feels thwarted in the home of her extended family in Calcutta where she, her mother, and sister must stay, and when her father dies before he can send for them, they must remain with their relatives and observe the old-fashioned traditions that Ashi hates.

Book Synopsis

From National Book Award finalist, Mitali Perkins, comes a dramatic tale about a displaced Indian family in the 1970s.

When Asha's father loses his job and leaves India to look for work in America, Asha Gupta, her older sister, Reet, and their mother must wait with Baba's brother and his family, as well as their grandmother, in Calcutta. Uncle is welcoming, but in a country steeped in tradition, the three women must abide by his decisions. Asha knows this is temporary--just until Baba sends for them.

But with scant savings and time passing, the tension builds: Ma, prone to spells of sadness, finds it hard to submit to her mother- and sister-in-law; Reet's beauty attracts unwanted marriage proposals; and Asha's promise to take care of Ma and Reet leads to impulsive behavior.

Asha's only solace is her rooftop hideaway, where she pours her heart out in her diary, and where she begins a clandestine friendship with Jay Sen, the boy next door--against the rules of the house. Asha can hardly believe that she, and not Reet, is the object of Jay's attention.

But when tragedy strikes, Asha must make a painful choice that will change their lives forever

"Well-developed characters, funny dialogue, and the authentic depiction of spunky Asha's longing for romance and female self-determination, set in a culture that restrains women's choices, make this book an attractive pick."--School Library Journal

"Achingly realistic."--Kirkus

"An intimate and absorbing drama."--Publisher's Weekly

"Heartbreaking and hopeful." --ALA Booklist

About the Author

Mitali Perkins was born in Kolkata, India. Her previous novel with Delacorte Press is Monsoon Summer, a Book Sense 76 Pick, a New York Public Library Book for the Teenage, and a Bank Street College Best Book. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts.