The Notations of Cooper Cameron

by Jane O'Reilly

Overview

Eleven-year-old Cooper Cameron likes things to be in order. When he eats, he chews every bite three times on each side. Sometimes he washes his hands in the air with invisible water. He invented these rituals after the death of his beloved grandfather to protect others he loves from terrible harm.

But when Cooper's behavior drives a wedge between his parents, and his relationship with his older sister, Caddie, begins to fray, his mother's only solution is to take Cooper and Caddie to the family cabin for the summer.

Armed with a collection of rocks, his pet frog, and his notebook, Cooper vows to cure himself and bring his damaged family back together.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781512467598
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/01/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	324
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Jane O'Reilly is the author of the acclaimed middle grade novels, The Secret of Goldenrod and The Notations of Cooper Cameron. She is the recipient of a McKnight Fellowship in Screenwriting and also holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. The youngest of five children, she grew up in an old house, enjoyed her early summers traveling the USA and Mexico on family road trips, and spent her teenage summers in the North Woods at the cabin her grandfather built. Curious about nearly everything, Jane and her stories are inspired by small towns, old houses and the universal need for hope. Although born and raised in Minnesota, Jane and her husband, John, and dog, Poppy, now call Des Moines, Iowa, home.

Editorial Reviews

"[A] nuanced and empowering narrative that uplifts rather than undermines Cooper's unique perspective on his world. . . . Intricate, meticulous, unforgettable."—starred, Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

★ 07/01/2017
Gr 4–6—After the death of his grandfather, 11-year-old Cooper Cameron develops a complicated relationship with "That Boy," the voice inside of him that compels him to complete elaborate counting and washing rituals that he feels he must do to prevent terrible things from happening to his family. When medication and therapy fail Cooper, his mother moves him and his 15-year-old sister Caddie to their grandfather's cabin for the summer, away from his angry and abusive father, who does not understand his compulsions. With the assistance of his sister; his new friend Mike; Mr. Bell, a nonagenarian who loves ice cream as much as Cooper does; and the daily observations he records in his notebook, Cooper learns that "sometimes you have to let go" and be brave. The novel provides a heartfelt portrayal of one boy's experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Cooper is helped by a cast of supporting characters, who shine almost as brightly as he does. VERDICT An unforgettable, much-needed story; a strong purchase for all collections.—Jessica Holland, University of Kentucky, Lexington

School Library Journal

★ 2017-08-07
An attentive observer and methodical worrier, soon-to-be-sixth-grader Cooper Cameron learns about resilience as he works to protect those he loves most. A bittersweet summer tale set in Minnesota, this book will be most appreciated by those who enjoy a thoughtful story. Literally. This narrative is entirely expressed through Cooper's thoroughly engrossing thoughts, and it's full of the musings and observations that he records in a small notebook. Two years after the death of his grandfather and the onset of intrusive thoughts about death and his family's endangerment, Cooper develops patterns and behaviors to ensure their protection, such as reading the words, lines, and pages of books three times over, washing his hands in invisible water, and closely observing everything. But even as he endeavors to keep his family from bursting into flames, Cooper's behavior worries everyone and puts pressure on an already-strained fault line between his parents and also between himself and the rest of the family. O'Reilly (The Secret of Goldenrod, 2016) delivers a nuanced and empowering narrative that uplifts rather than undermines Cooper's unique perspective on his world, even as he works to reconcile that perspective with his family's. The book pulls no punches with regard to the realities of intolerance (even among loved ones) toward neurodivergence while nevertheless validating Cooper's methods of making meaning as he navigates trauma and grief on his own terms. Racial markers are absent, as is any evidence of racialized experience. Intricate, meticulous, unforgettable. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews