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Bringing Back Kay-Kay
Steeped in mystery and adventure, this brisk and beautifully crafted middle-grade debut set in modern-day India explores the complexities of the sibling bond.
When her older brother, Karthik—Kay-Kay, the golden child of the family—heads to camp for two weeks, Lena’s parents begin showering her with all the attention she craves. For a time, she’s the golden child and secretly wishes her brother wouldn’t come home. But when the scheduled train arrives and Karthik isn’t on it, Lena is stricken with guilt and fear for her beloved Kay-Kay. Her brother has vanished without a trace, and the police view him as a runaway. Incredulous, Lena undertakes a search of her own—reading mysterious poems left in his backpack, interrogating his fellows from the train, retracing his route, and encountering shadowy strangers along the way. Convinced Kay-Kay is still alive even when the rest of her family has given up, Lena steadily unearths her brother’s secrets as her determination to bring him home leads to a heart-stopping discovery. Perhaps Kay-Kay isn’t a golden child after all? Set in a vividly evoked modern-day India, this character-driven middle-grade mystery tackles rich themes—from the sibling bond to self-worth—in a taut and suspenseful adventure.
When her older brother, Karthik—Kay-Kay, the golden child of the family—heads to camp for two weeks, Lena’s parents begin showering her with all the attention she craves. For a time, she’s the golden child and secretly wishes her brother wouldn’t come home. But when the scheduled train arrives and Karthik isn’t on it, Lena is stricken with guilt and fear for her beloved Kay-Kay. Her brother has vanished without a trace, and the police view him as a runaway. Incredulous, Lena undertakes a search of her own—reading mysterious poems left in his backpack, interrogating his fellows from the train, retracing his route, and encountering shadowy strangers along the way. Convinced Kay-Kay is still alive even when the rest of her family has given up, Lena steadily unearths her brother’s secrets as her determination to bring him home leads to a heart-stopping discovery. Perhaps Kay-Kay isn’t a golden child after all? Set in a vividly evoked modern-day India, this character-driven middle-grade mystery tackles rich themes—from the sibling bond to self-worth—in a taut and suspenseful adventure.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2024
8 people are currently reading
2786 people want to read
About the author
Dev Kothari
2 books18 followersDev Kothari is a writer and poet. She grew up in a sleepy hamlet near Mumbai where she spent most of her free time reading, writing and daydreaming. She won the Commonword Diversity YA novel prize in 2018 and went on to gain an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. She lives in London with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
September 26, 2024
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade mystery about a girl who is determined to locate her missing elder brother. Indian setting. Good tackling of the sibling bond. A bit bleak in tone, though the ending is positive. Will suit teens better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
🚅 Kay-Kay’s character detailing. When we read missing person stories, we get to know only the other family members. But thanks to Lena’s style of addressing her brother, we get a good glimpse of the kind of person he is. I loved his portrayal.
🚅 The brother-sister bond between Lena and Kay-Kay. Not like most sibling stories. The boy is shown to be understanding and studious and the girl is slightly rebellious. A welcome change, especially considering that they are Indian. (Rebel girls and good boys are rarely found here… at least in fiction. 😉)
🚅 Fast-paced writing with shortish chapters – perfect for the age group.
🚅 The Indian rep. Right from the setting and the people to the beliefs and the atmosphere, the author seems to have got India right. I love that it is not a lopsided depiction of only positives or only negatives, but a realistic representation of both sides. Lena’s family seems to be upper middle-class, but there are other characters from various backgrounds, thereby throwing light on a varied strata of people. And yes, no comments about class or caste – such a relief to find one book that goes beyond this supposedly-mandatory feature of Indian fiction!
🚅 The portrayal of the adults in the story is surprisingly balanced. Some of them were nincompoops, but there were quite a few helpful and caring adults also, even among the strangers Lena meets. It was fairly realistic. (Much better than many YA novels.)
🚅 The depiction of the son-obsessed Indian family, where the son is the centre of attention and the daughter is just an add-on sibling – such a sad but true portrayal. I felt sorry for Lena as her parents didn’t even seem to give her a part of attention or love they showered on Kay-Kay.
🚅 The story also highlights the pressures put on the elder child of always performing a certain way, scoring a certain way, choosing a certain career, being more traditional in their choices. As an elder child myself, I felt Kay-Kay’s pain to the core. Oldest Child Syndrome is real. ☹
🚅 The detailing of descriptions and emotions is absolutely beautiful.
🚅 A few Indian words that captured the spirit of the language in the most realistic way. ‘Gunda-mawali boys’, ‘sacchi mucchi’, ‘khadoos’… are words that can’t be translated precisely without losing a part of their meaning, but are so intrinsically ours. I laughed when I saw the appearance of “God promise!” (Outsiders won't understand the sanctity of a “God promise” or a “Mother promise” declaration! 😆) The words are included in such a way as would not be confusing to those who won't know them. No glossary; then again, no glossary can exist for such vernacular.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🚂 Stan the Man, who wasn't exactly a man – what a wonderful character! Loved him! But why was his fate left open? Uncertainty isn't a good feature in children’s books, especially when it involves a positive character.
🚂 Considering that the very first sentence of the story mentions that Kay-Kay is missing, the content is somewhat emotionally intense, and Lena’s narrative often gets introspective. While I am okay with such content as an adult reader, I feel like it might be a bit too sombre for middle-graders. Of course, the topic itself is such that one can’t have a jovial approach. But perhaps more scenes like the ones with Stan the Man would have helped balance out the emotions. Onjali Q. Raúf’s middle-grade novel ‘The Star Outside My Window’ also had a sad subject but tackled it with a more balanced approach.
🚂 I did like some of Lena’s attributes such as her loyalty towards her parents even when they didn’t reciprocate, her love for her brother, and her resourcefulness But I also found her a bit impolite at times. The scene where she first interacted with the police officer feels very unrealistic; I doubt any regular Indian child would answer back a policeman like that.
🚂 The writing style is a bit too complex for middle-graders. While Lena’s first-person focusses on current events, she has a tendency to slide into past memories at random. Moreover, her writing is addressed to Kay-Kay in second person (a writing choice I didn’t quite understand – it’s not like Lena was writing in a journal!), so the sudden “you” coming in between conversations and reminiscences can be befuddling at times.
🚂 While I liked the depiction of India, I couldn’t quite figure out where the story was set. The places mentioned – Kolar, Margao, Aravali, Lamora – are in varied parts of this huge country. But the travel time taken by Lena indicates that they were fairly close by. I wish the setting had been clearer. Of course, this doesn’t hamper the story and won't impact those who know nothing of these locations.
🚂 There are some beautiful poems in the content. I usually don't read poems in novels as I'm not a poetry aficionado, but this time, I read most of them as the style seemed heartfelt. (This also probably proves that my poetry appreciation skill is at the MG level. 🤭) However, thanks to the emotional content of the poems, I ended up solving the mystery very differently in my head. The actual reveal seemed bland in comparison.
🚂 We can see from the cover page that the story involves a solo adventure at some point. This happens only in the second half of the book, so the cover art, though stunning, is a teeny spoiler to the path Lena will take in her quest to find Kay-Kay. I'm not a big fan of fictional children endangering themselves through such dangerous missions, but I also know how much children enjoy such adventurous stories. I just hope they see that Lena’s plan is mostly impulsive, somewhat half-baked, and involves a lot of luck – not every real-life adventure ends that way.
Bookish Nays:
🚧 The ending fell flat to me. While the book has a happy conclusion (I’m sure this is not a spoiler; only a sadist would provide sad endings in children’s fiction), I hoped to see a proper unfolding of the rescue mission, if I can call it that. I can’t believe the story actually skipped over all of that and jumped straight to the ‘after’. Seeing the successful achievement of the task is the best part of reading a quest story!
🚧 This is more of a me problem. But I am not that fond of any book where the protagonist is the only competent one in solving a case. She alone finds clues, she alone deciphers loopholes in the investigation, she alone interviews the right people, she alone identifies potential suspects… it gets a bit farfetched, especially considering that she is just twelve. Kids might not have an issue with this.
All in all, despite somewhat mixed feelings on certain aspects, my perspective is that as an adult reading a children’s story. The main content – the plot, the characters, the adventure, and the ending – might work better for the right age group. That said, given some of the content (there is even a scene set in a morgue, with the family being called for identification of a body), this might suit teen readers better than middle-graders.
For an external viewpoint on the above, I consulted two connoisseurs of middle-grade fiction who are known for their impeccable taste, picky preferences, and filter-free opinions. (Yeah okay, I spoke to my daughters. 🤭) They too weren’t certain if they would read a gloomy story, though neither of them said an outright no. There’s hope yet!
As a debut work, the book is truly impressive. I’m definitely interested in reading more from this author, especially if she ever pens an adult novel; her writing style is quite literary so it would work wonders in serious adult fiction genres.
Recommended to teens looking for a rescue mission kind of story with a female protagonist and an Indian setting. As long as the young readers don’t expect too much adventure and action, and are open to an introspective narrative, the story should work for them.
3.5 stars. (I would have gone higher in my rating had I liked the ending better, but I’m still rounding up as I loved the depiction of India in this book.)
My thanks to Hear Our Voices Tours and Walker Books US for a complimentary copy of 'Bringing Back Kay-Kay' via Edelweiss+. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Lena is used to being ignored. Her elder brother Karthik, aka Kay-Kay, has always been the apple of his parents’ eyes. When he goes away for a two-week camp, Lena’s parents finally begin noticing her and indulging her, to the point that Lena secretly wishes that Kay-Kay wouldn’t come back. Now that nightmare seems to have come true. Kay-Kay isn’t on the return train, and none of his camp mates have any clue about when or where he vanished. As Lena is stricken with fear and guilt, she embarks on a quest to locate Kay-Kay, even if it means making some questionable choices.
The story comes to us in Lena’s first-person perspective, addressed to Kay-Kay in the second person ‘you’.
Bookish Yays:
🚅 Kay-Kay’s character detailing. When we read missing person stories, we get to know only the other family members. But thanks to Lena’s style of addressing her brother, we get a good glimpse of the kind of person he is. I loved his portrayal.
🚅 The brother-sister bond between Lena and Kay-Kay. Not like most sibling stories. The boy is shown to be understanding and studious and the girl is slightly rebellious. A welcome change, especially considering that they are Indian. (Rebel girls and good boys are rarely found here… at least in fiction. 😉)
🚅 Fast-paced writing with shortish chapters – perfect for the age group.
🚅 The Indian rep. Right from the setting and the people to the beliefs and the atmosphere, the author seems to have got India right. I love that it is not a lopsided depiction of only positives or only negatives, but a realistic representation of both sides. Lena’s family seems to be upper middle-class, but there are other characters from various backgrounds, thereby throwing light on a varied strata of people. And yes, no comments about class or caste – such a relief to find one book that goes beyond this supposedly-mandatory feature of Indian fiction!
🚅 The portrayal of the adults in the story is surprisingly balanced. Some of them were nincompoops, but there were quite a few helpful and caring adults also, even among the strangers Lena meets. It was fairly realistic. (Much better than many YA novels.)
🚅 The depiction of the son-obsessed Indian family, where the son is the centre of attention and the daughter is just an add-on sibling – such a sad but true portrayal. I felt sorry for Lena as her parents didn’t even seem to give her a part of attention or love they showered on Kay-Kay.
🚅 The story also highlights the pressures put on the elder child of always performing a certain way, scoring a certain way, choosing a certain career, being more traditional in their choices. As an elder child myself, I felt Kay-Kay’s pain to the core. Oldest Child Syndrome is real. ☹
🚅 The detailing of descriptions and emotions is absolutely beautiful.
🚅 A few Indian words that captured the spirit of the language in the most realistic way. ‘Gunda-mawali boys’, ‘sacchi mucchi’, ‘khadoos’… are words that can’t be translated precisely without losing a part of their meaning, but are so intrinsically ours. I laughed when I saw the appearance of “God promise!” (Outsiders won't understand the sanctity of a “God promise” or a “Mother promise” declaration! 😆) The words are included in such a way as would not be confusing to those who won't know them. No glossary; then again, no glossary can exist for such vernacular.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🚂 Stan the Man, who wasn't exactly a man – what a wonderful character! Loved him! But why was his fate left open? Uncertainty isn't a good feature in children’s books, especially when it involves a positive character.
🚂 Considering that the very first sentence of the story mentions that Kay-Kay is missing, the content is somewhat emotionally intense, and Lena’s narrative often gets introspective. While I am okay with such content as an adult reader, I feel like it might be a bit too sombre for middle-graders. Of course, the topic itself is such that one can’t have a jovial approach. But perhaps more scenes like the ones with Stan the Man would have helped balance out the emotions. Onjali Q. Raúf’s middle-grade novel ‘The Star Outside My Window’ also had a sad subject but tackled it with a more balanced approach.
🚂 I did like some of Lena’s attributes such as her loyalty towards her parents even when they didn’t reciprocate, her love for her brother, and her resourcefulness But I also found her a bit impolite at times. The scene where she first interacted with the police officer feels very unrealistic; I doubt any regular Indian child would answer back a policeman like that.
🚂 The writing style is a bit too complex for middle-graders. While Lena’s first-person focusses on current events, she has a tendency to slide into past memories at random. Moreover, her writing is addressed to Kay-Kay in second person (a writing choice I didn’t quite understand – it’s not like Lena was writing in a journal!), so the sudden “you” coming in between conversations and reminiscences can be befuddling at times.
🚂 While I liked the depiction of India, I couldn’t quite figure out where the story was set. The places mentioned – Kolar, Margao, Aravali, Lamora – are in varied parts of this huge country. But the travel time taken by Lena indicates that they were fairly close by. I wish the setting had been clearer. Of course, this doesn’t hamper the story and won't impact those who know nothing of these locations.
🚂 There are some beautiful poems in the content. I usually don't read poems in novels as I'm not a poetry aficionado, but this time, I read most of them as the style seemed heartfelt. (This also probably proves that my poetry appreciation skill is at the MG level. 🤭) However, thanks to the emotional content of the poems, I ended up solving the mystery very differently in my head. The actual reveal seemed bland in comparison.
🚂 We can see from the cover page that the story involves a solo adventure at some point. This happens only in the second half of the book, so the cover art, though stunning, is a teeny spoiler to the path Lena will take in her quest to find Kay-Kay. I'm not a big fan of fictional children endangering themselves through such dangerous missions, but I also know how much children enjoy such adventurous stories. I just hope they see that Lena’s plan is mostly impulsive, somewhat half-baked, and involves a lot of luck – not every real-life adventure ends that way.
Bookish Nays:
🚧 The ending fell flat to me. While the book has a happy conclusion (I’m sure this is not a spoiler; only a sadist would provide sad endings in children’s fiction), I hoped to see a proper unfolding of the rescue mission, if I can call it that. I can’t believe the story actually skipped over all of that and jumped straight to the ‘after’. Seeing the successful achievement of the task is the best part of reading a quest story!
🚧 This is more of a me problem. But I am not that fond of any book where the protagonist is the only competent one in solving a case. She alone finds clues, she alone deciphers loopholes in the investigation, she alone interviews the right people, she alone identifies potential suspects… it gets a bit farfetched, especially considering that she is just twelve. Kids might not have an issue with this.
All in all, despite somewhat mixed feelings on certain aspects, my perspective is that as an adult reading a children’s story. The main content – the plot, the characters, the adventure, and the ending – might work better for the right age group. That said, given some of the content (there is even a scene set in a morgue, with the family being called for identification of a body), this might suit teen readers better than middle-graders.
For an external viewpoint on the above, I consulted two connoisseurs of middle-grade fiction who are known for their impeccable taste, picky preferences, and filter-free opinions. (Yeah okay, I spoke to my daughters. 🤭) They too weren’t certain if they would read a gloomy story, though neither of them said an outright no. There’s hope yet!
As a debut work, the book is truly impressive. I’m definitely interested in reading more from this author, especially if she ever pens an adult novel; her writing style is quite literary so it would work wonders in serious adult fiction genres.
Recommended to teens looking for a rescue mission kind of story with a female protagonist and an Indian setting. As long as the young readers don’t expect too much adventure and action, and are open to an introspective narrative, the story should work for them.
3.5 stars. (I would have gone higher in my rating had I liked the ending better, but I’m still rounding up as I loved the depiction of India in this book.)
My thanks to Hear Our Voices Tours and Walker Books US for a complimentary copy of 'Bringing Back Kay-Kay' via Edelweiss+. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
May 21, 2024
After being at summer camp, teenager Karthik (Kay-Kay) goes missing on the train journey home. His parents are frantically worried and put their hopes into the local police locating him. Kay-Kay’s younger sister Lena isn’t so trusting in the police given that they think he’s just runaway.
With the police doing the bare minimum, her mother retreating into herself and sleeping each day away, and her father back at work, Lena decides it is up to her to discover the truth and find her brother.
Bringing Back Kay-Kay is a beautifully written middle-grade book that is set in India and focuses on the tough subject of a missing child. The book flows well and the characters are gracefully portrayed. Lena is an inquisitive young girl who is close to her older brother and will do anything to find him. She will leave no stone unturned in her quest.
This is a story that will touch your heart and have you hoping that Kay-Kay is okay and that Lena can find him, alive. The narrative takes the reader on an adventure and features some poetry along the way. This style works superbly and gives the reader a more vivid picture of who Kay-Kay is.
Overall, Bringing Back Kay-Kay is a poignant, captivating story that will hold you to the pages for the entirety and suck you into Lena’s hell and her determination to locate her brother.
With the police doing the bare minimum, her mother retreating into herself and sleeping each day away, and her father back at work, Lena decides it is up to her to discover the truth and find her brother.
Bringing Back Kay-Kay is a beautifully written middle-grade book that is set in India and focuses on the tough subject of a missing child. The book flows well and the characters are gracefully portrayed. Lena is an inquisitive young girl who is close to her older brother and will do anything to find him. She will leave no stone unturned in her quest.
This is a story that will touch your heart and have you hoping that Kay-Kay is okay and that Lena can find him, alive. The narrative takes the reader on an adventure and features some poetry along the way. This style works superbly and gives the reader a more vivid picture of who Kay-Kay is.
Overall, Bringing Back Kay-Kay is a poignant, captivating story that will hold you to the pages for the entirety and suck you into Lena’s hell and her determination to locate her brother.
October 10, 2025
alright this book took me wayyy too long to finish purely because i’m reading it for a competition and had to make notes.
this is one of the example of a children’s book that and a bunch of potential but had to back down due to the age range.
the relationship between kay-kay and lena was very cute and the desi representation honestly made me very happy (im not even desi 😭).
overall this book had very good flow, character development and plot but it was just missing SOMETHING.
solid 3.5/5 💚
this is one of the example of a children’s book that and a bunch of potential but had to back down due to the age range.
the relationship between kay-kay and lena was very cute and the desi representation honestly made me very happy (im not even desi 😭).
overall this book had very good flow, character development and plot but it was just missing SOMETHING.
solid 3.5/5 💚
June 28, 2025
When Lena’s big brother Kay-Kay disappears on a train ride from summer camp, the police write it off as a runaway. But Lena knows her brother better than anyone and she’s not buying it. So, what does she do? Launches her own investigation, of course! Think Nancy Drew, but with Indian snacks, crowded train stations, and secret poetry as clues.
Told through Lena’s fierce, funny, and determined voice, the book is part mystery, part sibling love letter, and full-on heart.
Told through Lena’s fierce, funny, and determined voice, the book is part mystery, part sibling love letter, and full-on heart.
September 27, 2024
A Sibling is always a kid’s first best friend. You always share everything but then you start drifting afar and then a point comes when it seems you don’t know anything about them. And sometimes with this a misfortune strikes!!!!
A middle grader, Lena, is not waiting whole heartedly to welcome back his older brother, Kay-Kay, from the summer camp. And he actually does not return. He goes missing. Now regretting her wish, she tries to help her parents and police but it backfires.
Determined to find her brother, she sets on a mission to find clues anywhere and everywhere she can. Along the way she discovers so many things about her brother which surprises her. Will she be able to find him? Where is he? What problems will she face in all this? Read on this book to find out.
Wow.. what a lovely read it was!! I started reading it with the only the expectation of an adventure. But it fared way more than this. It has a perfect blend of adventure and mystery along with siblings love, value of family, friendship, dreams and invaluable life lessons. It shows accurately what teenagers go through under family and societal pressures of excelling in every field while crushing their own dreams.
Lena is a strong-headed and courageous character who stands up for herself and her dreams. All other characters are also well written. My second fav character is Stan The Man. Language is easy. Pacing is smooth although middle part was little slow but overall good. The story was playing like a movie in my mind while reading it.
Highly recommend!! A perfect book for an adventurous middle grader and everyone who loves this genre. Overall I enjoyed it thoroughly. Give it a go.
A middle grader, Lena, is not waiting whole heartedly to welcome back his older brother, Kay-Kay, from the summer camp. And he actually does not return. He goes missing. Now regretting her wish, she tries to help her parents and police but it backfires.
Determined to find her brother, she sets on a mission to find clues anywhere and everywhere she can. Along the way she discovers so many things about her brother which surprises her. Will she be able to find him? Where is he? What problems will she face in all this? Read on this book to find out.
Wow.. what a lovely read it was!! I started reading it with the only the expectation of an adventure. But it fared way more than this. It has a perfect blend of adventure and mystery along with siblings love, value of family, friendship, dreams and invaluable life lessons. It shows accurately what teenagers go through under family and societal pressures of excelling in every field while crushing their own dreams.
Lena is a strong-headed and courageous character who stands up for herself and her dreams. All other characters are also well written. My second fav character is Stan The Man. Language is easy. Pacing is smooth although middle part was little slow but overall good. The story was playing like a movie in my mind while reading it.
Highly recommend!! A perfect book for an adventurous middle grader and everyone who loves this genre. Overall I enjoyed it thoroughly. Give it a go.
February 13, 2025
A middle grade novel set in India about a sister’s brave journey to find her missing brother. I stayed up til midnight to finish it after starting it before bed, so it definitely kept me interested.
If this wasn’t written for middle grade readers, this wouldn’t have ended so perfectly - but it IS middle grade writing so I’m trying to decide if I’m being too harsh a critic on that. Definite points for setting and characterization being super strong!
- - -
“I was going to find out. Find out everything about you.”
“Try as I might, I cannot sleep.
A storm is coming.”
If this wasn’t written for middle grade readers, this wouldn’t have ended so perfectly - but it IS middle grade writing so I’m trying to decide if I’m being too harsh a critic on that. Definite points for setting and characterization being super strong!
- - -
“I was going to find out. Find out everything about you.”
“Try as I might, I cannot sleep.
A storm is coming.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2024
A beautiful, poignant, unputdownable book! ❤️
June 23, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Lena has always struggled with her relationship with her older brother, Karthick. While he is generally nice to her, his mere existence seems to suck all of the air out of the room, and she feels that her parents don't care about her at all. When he goes missing on a train trip back to Lamora from summer camp in Goa, the entire family is devastated, especially since the police assume he has just run away. While her mother descends into a deep depression, Lena tries to interview Kay-Kay's friends and teachers, often running afoul of the police. She discovers some alarming things, like the fact that her brother's best friend Samir argued with her brother, and has Kay-Kay's phone. Not only that, but he's lying about it. Lena investigates Kay-Kay's room, and finds a lot of poetry in his backpack, which opens her eyes to new and different facets of her brother. Many of the poems are about friendship and how it alleviates loneliness, and Lena finds out that Kay-Kay was friends with Akash, a new boy in school who was badly injured in a science lab accident. When she can't get any answers, she decides to run away and take the train trip that her brother took. This is a dangerous thing to do, but she takes a bus, and does manage to find out things about her brother from people who talked to him. She also endangers herself, eventually ending up in the hospital having rushed into traffic. She's helped by a nice woman who calls her parents, but Lena is determined to keep investigating. Will she ever be able to find out what happened to her brother? (Spoiler: yes!)
Strengths: This novel is set in India, and it's interesting to learn about school and summer camp details in that country. While Lena's life is very upper middle class, we do meet some characters, like Stan the Man, who live a very different life that will be hard for students in the US to imagine. (He lives in a train station and works for a tea seller to survive.) It's a good thing that Lena cares about her brother and undertakes an almost impossible trek to locate him. Readers who like poetry will enjoy reading the verses that Kay-Kay has written. The mother's situation is an interesting depiction of parental depression, most likely caused by post partum depression, something I haven't seen very much in middle grade literatue.
Weaknesses: Lena really does endanger herself frequently, and doesn't seem to have a well thought out plan for locating her brother, although she has a lot of good luck. The book is written as a letter to Kay-Kay, addressing him as "you", which sometimes seemed odd. Also, I was pretty sure for most of the novel that Kay-Kay has a crush on Akash and had committed suicide because he was gay. This is completely a "me" thing, although the poetry about being lovely is probably what led me to this thought. Certainly kept me reading to see what happened.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like adventures prompted by family problems, like Bilan's Asha and the Spirit Bird and Rauf's The Star Outside.
Lena has always struggled with her relationship with her older brother, Karthick. While he is generally nice to her, his mere existence seems to suck all of the air out of the room, and she feels that her parents don't care about her at all. When he goes missing on a train trip back to Lamora from summer camp in Goa, the entire family is devastated, especially since the police assume he has just run away. While her mother descends into a deep depression, Lena tries to interview Kay-Kay's friends and teachers, often running afoul of the police. She discovers some alarming things, like the fact that her brother's best friend Samir argued with her brother, and has Kay-Kay's phone. Not only that, but he's lying about it. Lena investigates Kay-Kay's room, and finds a lot of poetry in his backpack, which opens her eyes to new and different facets of her brother. Many of the poems are about friendship and how it alleviates loneliness, and Lena finds out that Kay-Kay was friends with Akash, a new boy in school who was badly injured in a science lab accident. When she can't get any answers, she decides to run away and take the train trip that her brother took. This is a dangerous thing to do, but she takes a bus, and does manage to find out things about her brother from people who talked to him. She also endangers herself, eventually ending up in the hospital having rushed into traffic. She's helped by a nice woman who calls her parents, but Lena is determined to keep investigating. Will she ever be able to find out what happened to her brother? (Spoiler: yes!)
Strengths: This novel is set in India, and it's interesting to learn about school and summer camp details in that country. While Lena's life is very upper middle class, we do meet some characters, like Stan the Man, who live a very different life that will be hard for students in the US to imagine. (He lives in a train station and works for a tea seller to survive.) It's a good thing that Lena cares about her brother and undertakes an almost impossible trek to locate him. Readers who like poetry will enjoy reading the verses that Kay-Kay has written. The mother's situation is an interesting depiction of parental depression, most likely caused by post partum depression, something I haven't seen very much in middle grade literatue.
Weaknesses: Lena really does endanger herself frequently, and doesn't seem to have a well thought out plan for locating her brother, although she has a lot of good luck. The book is written as a letter to Kay-Kay, addressing him as "you", which sometimes seemed odd. Also, I was pretty sure for most of the novel that Kay-Kay has a crush on Akash and had committed suicide because he was gay. This is completely a "me" thing, although the poetry about being lovely is probably what led me to this thought. Certainly kept me reading to see what happened.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like adventures prompted by family problems, like Bilan's Asha and the Spirit Bird and Rauf's The Star Outside.
September 29, 2024
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Set in modern-day India, Bringing Back Kay-Kay by Dev Kothari is an adventure-packed, middle-grade novel that explores the themes of sibling bond and self-worth.
Lena has always been under the shadow of her elder brother, Karthik (Kay-Kay), who is a brilliant all-rounder at his school. But when he goes away for a two-weeks camp, Lena gets all the attention of her parents.
But when Kay-Kay is not on the train by which he is supposed to arrive home, her world turns upside-down.
The author poignantly sheds light on the burdens that children of any middle-class Indian family carry. Kay-Kay is a studious child, but the pressure to excel academically weighs heavily upon him, stifling his gift of writing.
He never tells anyone about his love for poetry except to his English teacher because in the majority of Indian families, a doctor or an engineer is the only worthy profession.
Consequently, despite being close to Kay-Kay, Lena comes to know he writes beautiful poetry only when she goes digging around his unoccupied room for any clues to his whereabouts.
Lena, on the other hand, has never been academically good. Consequently, she has always felt neglected by her parents.
The best part of this story is the unadulterated bond between Lena and Kay-Kay. Despite being opposite as chalk and cheese, they love each other.
Kay-Kay is a sweet, thoughtful boy who loves his sister dearly and never looks down at her because of her poor grades at school. Lena, too, throws herself right into the heart of peril to bring back Kay-Kay safely to home.
The writing is simple yet vividly descriptive. I experienced a gamut of emotions from rage at the police apathy and Sameer and his mother's behavior to hopelessness when Lena kept meeting one dead end after the other to hope again when she finally finds a clue about her brother.
I loved the poems written by Kay-Kay. They were clearly written by a budding child artist since they were sincere and heartfelt yet required some polishing. Kudos to the author for this.
Overall, I loved this middle-grade adventurous tale and will recommend it to all my readers.
Set in modern-day India, Bringing Back Kay-Kay by Dev Kothari is an adventure-packed, middle-grade novel that explores the themes of sibling bond and self-worth.
Lena has always been under the shadow of her elder brother, Karthik (Kay-Kay), who is a brilliant all-rounder at his school. But when he goes away for a two-weeks camp, Lena gets all the attention of her parents.
But when Kay-Kay is not on the train by which he is supposed to arrive home, her world turns upside-down.
The author poignantly sheds light on the burdens that children of any middle-class Indian family carry. Kay-Kay is a studious child, but the pressure to excel academically weighs heavily upon him, stifling his gift of writing.
He never tells anyone about his love for poetry except to his English teacher because in the majority of Indian families, a doctor or an engineer is the only worthy profession.
Consequently, despite being close to Kay-Kay, Lena comes to know he writes beautiful poetry only when she goes digging around his unoccupied room for any clues to his whereabouts.
Lena, on the other hand, has never been academically good. Consequently, she has always felt neglected by her parents.
The best part of this story is the unadulterated bond between Lena and Kay-Kay. Despite being opposite as chalk and cheese, they love each other.
Kay-Kay is a sweet, thoughtful boy who loves his sister dearly and never looks down at her because of her poor grades at school. Lena, too, throws herself right into the heart of peril to bring back Kay-Kay safely to home.
The writing is simple yet vividly descriptive. I experienced a gamut of emotions from rage at the police apathy and Sameer and his mother's behavior to hopelessness when Lena kept meeting one dead end after the other to hope again when she finally finds a clue about her brother.
I loved the poems written by Kay-Kay. They were clearly written by a budding child artist since they were sincere and heartfelt yet required some polishing. Kudos to the author for this.
Overall, I loved this middle-grade adventurous tale and will recommend it to all my readers.
October 22, 2024
What worked:
The plot is a missing-person story with Lena trying to find her older brother Kay-Kay. It’s kind of a locked-door mystery as Kay-Kay was on a moving train when he went to bed but there’s no evidence of how he disappeared when passengers unload the next day. Lena doesn’t feel the police are doing enough so she begins investigating on her own. It’s hard to believe she’ll succeed but she’s more emotionally motivated than anyone else. Some people she interviews are kind and helpful while others think she’s interfering and should let the police do their jobs. Lena is able to uncover secrets about her brother but his life is a bigger mystery than she could ever know.
Grief is a major issue as Kay-Kay’s disappearance is devastating for the family. The mother is hit hardest as she withdraws into her sorrow and can’t function anymore. Lena does her best to support her parents during this trying time but it’s not enough to make her mother feel better. The father struggles to carry on but Lena’s investigation wears on his nerves. Lena creates friction with others and her father is the one who hears their complaints about how his daughter is behaving.
The author weaves poetry and flashbacks into the plot as Lena remembers happy times with her brother. She idolizes him and her memories are of times when he supported her, counseled her, or simply brought joy to her life. The poems shared fit Lena’s thoughts of the situations that arise. One called “Expectations” goes with the chapter where Lena is on a bus to find her brother and “A Love Letter” fits her mood later in the story.
What didn’t work as well:
Uncovering the truth about what’s happened to Kay-Kay moves at a slow pace as Lena hits one dead end after another. This is especially evident once Lena leaves the city since readers are already anticipating significant developments in the case. It feels like Lena is back at square one.
The final verdict:
This emotional tale highlights the loving bond between a girl and her older brother. Parental expectations complicate the family dynamics but the conflicts are resolved in a compassionate manner in the end. This book will appeal to readers interested in India and sibling love and I recommend you give it a shot.
The plot is a missing-person story with Lena trying to find her older brother Kay-Kay. It’s kind of a locked-door mystery as Kay-Kay was on a moving train when he went to bed but there’s no evidence of how he disappeared when passengers unload the next day. Lena doesn’t feel the police are doing enough so she begins investigating on her own. It’s hard to believe she’ll succeed but she’s more emotionally motivated than anyone else. Some people she interviews are kind and helpful while others think she’s interfering and should let the police do their jobs. Lena is able to uncover secrets about her brother but his life is a bigger mystery than she could ever know.
Grief is a major issue as Kay-Kay’s disappearance is devastating for the family. The mother is hit hardest as she withdraws into her sorrow and can’t function anymore. Lena does her best to support her parents during this trying time but it’s not enough to make her mother feel better. The father struggles to carry on but Lena’s investigation wears on his nerves. Lena creates friction with others and her father is the one who hears their complaints about how his daughter is behaving.
The author weaves poetry and flashbacks into the plot as Lena remembers happy times with her brother. She idolizes him and her memories are of times when he supported her, counseled her, or simply brought joy to her life. The poems shared fit Lena’s thoughts of the situations that arise. One called “Expectations” goes with the chapter where Lena is on a bus to find her brother and “A Love Letter” fits her mood later in the story.
What didn’t work as well:
Uncovering the truth about what’s happened to Kay-Kay moves at a slow pace as Lena hits one dead end after another. This is especially evident once Lena leaves the city since readers are already anticipating significant developments in the case. It feels like Lena is back at square one.
The final verdict:
This emotional tale highlights the loving bond between a girl and her older brother. Parental expectations complicate the family dynamics but the conflicts are resolved in a compassionate manner in the end. This book will appeal to readers interested in India and sibling love and I recommend you give it a shot.
December 22, 2025
Dev Kothari’s Bringing Back Kay-Kay blends mystery, a bit of action adventure and a whole lot of finding yourself as Lena/El-Kay seeks to find her missing older, more accomplished brother Karthik/Kay-Kay and along the way, discovers her own value.
Kay-Kay has always been the family’s golden child-athlete, scholar, popular and his awards and accolades are placed along the wall for all to see. Lena, on the other hand, is average in every way and while all her most precious memories are connected to her older brother, she absolutely feels invisible. Then Karthik goes away to camp and suddenly her parents are noticing her! As Lena basks in the newfound attention, Karthik is disappearing from the train that was, a few hours ago, taking him back home. When the trail goes cold and the police seemingly done looking, Lena, called El-Kay by her brother, begins her own search. As she looks for clues in Karthik’s room, his backpack, interviews with his principal and a few teachers, she finds a bag of poems hidden away that reveal a more fearful, less secure brother and her pursuit of the truth leads not only to Karthik but new discoveries about herself.
Kothari’s novel of self-discovery moves steadily, with clues and possibilities dropped all along the way and I enjoyed it very much. However, those looking for action with every page turn may be disappointed. There is great satisfaction with the conclusion, but readers who want to reach for tissues may not need them. This is a book for the thoughtful reader who wants to think about their own conflicts as they read about the ones felt by both Lena and Karthik.
*Target age range: grades 5-8
*No profanity or sexual content
*Violence is limited to a fight between friends that gets a bit physical and a prank that results in a classmate’s serious injury.
*Representation: Set in India with the geography, weather and culture of the country woven into the plot; supportive teachers, helpful strangers, the homeless, various economic levels and diverse family groups present; no LBGTQ+ characters but I did wonder if one relationship was going to go that direction
Thanks for sharing a print arc with me, Walker Books/Candlewick Press.
Kay-Kay has always been the family’s golden child-athlete, scholar, popular and his awards and accolades are placed along the wall for all to see. Lena, on the other hand, is average in every way and while all her most precious memories are connected to her older brother, she absolutely feels invisible. Then Karthik goes away to camp and suddenly her parents are noticing her! As Lena basks in the newfound attention, Karthik is disappearing from the train that was, a few hours ago, taking him back home. When the trail goes cold and the police seemingly done looking, Lena, called El-Kay by her brother, begins her own search. As she looks for clues in Karthik’s room, his backpack, interviews with his principal and a few teachers, she finds a bag of poems hidden away that reveal a more fearful, less secure brother and her pursuit of the truth leads not only to Karthik but new discoveries about herself.
Kothari’s novel of self-discovery moves steadily, with clues and possibilities dropped all along the way and I enjoyed it very much. However, those looking for action with every page turn may be disappointed. There is great satisfaction with the conclusion, but readers who want to reach for tissues may not need them. This is a book for the thoughtful reader who wants to think about their own conflicts as they read about the ones felt by both Lena and Karthik.
*Target age range: grades 5-8
*No profanity or sexual content
*Violence is limited to a fight between friends that gets a bit physical and a prank that results in a classmate’s serious injury.
*Representation: Set in India with the geography, weather and culture of the country woven into the plot; supportive teachers, helpful strangers, the homeless, various economic levels and diverse family groups present; no LBGTQ+ characters but I did wonder if one relationship was going to go that direction
Thanks for sharing a print arc with me, Walker Books/Candlewick Press.
September 27, 2024
Thanks to @hearourvoicestours for sending me this ARC. This is a little different from what I usually read but when I was approached to take part in this book tour as a way to represent an author with the same ethnicity as myself, I couldn't not check it out!
Bringing Back Kay-Kay is the heartwarming story of a younger sister, Lena, on a quest to solve the mystery of how and why her older brother, Karthik/Kay-Kay, has gone missing from a train coming back from summer camp and not giving up until she finds him.
This is a charming, uniquely written middle-grade (ages 8+) book told from the 2nd person point of view, Lena telling the story to her missing brother. It really did feel like I was reading from a young albeit spunky girls point of view especially with some of the decisions and emotions Lena had to go through.
I loved the use of poetry dotted through the story and how reflective it made Lena of her brother and it was such a wonderful way of getting to know Kay-Kay’s character.
The story and characters were also so relatable to children from an Asian background and I think this would do well for young readers living in modern day India today or even those readers who wonder how other children grow up in another part of the world. I adored the sweet sibling relationship between Lena and Kay-Kay and truly appreciated how even though they have different personalities, they're also both each other's inspiration.
There were just the right amount of suspenseful moments and I could feel myself gripping the edge of my chair, brimming with all sorts of emotions as I followed Lena's journey.
Overall, this is a great story for kids who love mystery and adventure with life-like characters and themes of family bonds, school pressures, friendship, following your instincts and being fearless.
I rated this 3 stars mostly because the target audience isn't myself and also I would have liked to see more mystery and problem solving as at times it did feel like a random toned down goose chase for clues but I also have no doubt that many younger readers will enjoy this!
#BringingBackKayKay #HearOurVoices #HOV
Bringing Back Kay-Kay is the heartwarming story of a younger sister, Lena, on a quest to solve the mystery of how and why her older brother, Karthik/Kay-Kay, has gone missing from a train coming back from summer camp and not giving up until she finds him.
This is a charming, uniquely written middle-grade (ages 8+) book told from the 2nd person point of view, Lena telling the story to her missing brother. It really did feel like I was reading from a young albeit spunky girls point of view especially with some of the decisions and emotions Lena had to go through.
I loved the use of poetry dotted through the story and how reflective it made Lena of her brother and it was such a wonderful way of getting to know Kay-Kay’s character.
The story and characters were also so relatable to children from an Asian background and I think this would do well for young readers living in modern day India today or even those readers who wonder how other children grow up in another part of the world. I adored the sweet sibling relationship between Lena and Kay-Kay and truly appreciated how even though they have different personalities, they're also both each other's inspiration.
There were just the right amount of suspenseful moments and I could feel myself gripping the edge of my chair, brimming with all sorts of emotions as I followed Lena's journey.
Overall, this is a great story for kids who love mystery and adventure with life-like characters and themes of family bonds, school pressures, friendship, following your instincts and being fearless.
I rated this 3 stars mostly because the target audience isn't myself and also I would have liked to see more mystery and problem solving as at times it did feel like a random toned down goose chase for clues but I also have no doubt that many younger readers will enjoy this!
#BringingBackKayKay #HearOurVoices #HOV
September 29, 2024
This is a beautiful, heart-warming read about love, family and the friendship between two siblings. The writing is lyrical and evocative and the characters are complex and loveable. This is the kind of book that I wished I had read as a child for the own voices representation and one that my little one is also reading and enjoying! I hope this is made available in school libraries so more children can identify themselves in Lena and Kay-Kay.
Synopsis
Steeped in mystery and adventure, this brisk and beautifully crafted middle-grade debut is set in a vividly evoked modern-day India. A character-driven middle-grade mystery, it tackles rich themes – from the sibling bond to self-worth – in a taut and suspenseful adventure.
When her older brother, Karthik—Kay-Kay, the golden child of the family—heads to camp for two weeks, Lena’s parents begin showering her with all the attention she craves. For a time, she’s the golden child and secretly wishes her brother wouldn’t come home. But when the scheduled train arrives and Karthik isn’t on it, Lena is stricken with guilt and fear for her beloved Kay-Kay. Her brother has vanished without a trace, and the police view him as a runaway. Incredulous, Lena undertakes a search of her own—reading mysterious poems left in his backpack, interrogating his fellows from the train, retracing his route, and encountering shadowy strangers along the way. Convinced Kay-Kay is still alive even when the rest of her family has given up, Lena steadily unearths her brother’s secrets as her determination to bring him home leads to a heart-stopping discovery. Perhaps Kay-Kay isn’t a golden child after all? Set in a vividly evoked modern-day India, this character-driven middle-grade mystery tackles rich themes—from the sibling bond to self-worth—in a taut and suspenseful adventure.
Synopsis
Steeped in mystery and adventure, this brisk and beautifully crafted middle-grade debut is set in a vividly evoked modern-day India. A character-driven middle-grade mystery, it tackles rich themes – from the sibling bond to self-worth – in a taut and suspenseful adventure.
When her older brother, Karthik—Kay-Kay, the golden child of the family—heads to camp for two weeks, Lena’s parents begin showering her with all the attention she craves. For a time, she’s the golden child and secretly wishes her brother wouldn’t come home. But when the scheduled train arrives and Karthik isn’t on it, Lena is stricken with guilt and fear for her beloved Kay-Kay. Her brother has vanished without a trace, and the police view him as a runaway. Incredulous, Lena undertakes a search of her own—reading mysterious poems left in his backpack, interrogating his fellows from the train, retracing his route, and encountering shadowy strangers along the way. Convinced Kay-Kay is still alive even when the rest of her family has given up, Lena steadily unearths her brother’s secrets as her determination to bring him home leads to a heart-stopping discovery. Perhaps Kay-Kay isn’t a golden child after all? Set in a vividly evoked modern-day India, this character-driven middle-grade mystery tackles rich themes—from the sibling bond to self-worth—in a taut and suspenseful adventure.
February 16, 2025
What did you like about the book? Lena knows she is no comparison to her older brother Kay-Kay, who is perfect with his studies, sports, and personality, and is his parents’ favorite child. Lena would resent him, but he is just too good of an older brother to hate. So when Kay-Kay goes missing on the train back from summer camp, Lena’s world falls apart. Her mother descends into grief and her father barely holds everything together, while the police believe her brother is just another runaway teen. Lena knows Kay-Kay is out there somewhere, but nobody listens to her. So, she decides to take matters into her own hands, fishing for clues, hunting down the tiniest scrap of information, and eventually setting out on her own to find her brother.
Bringing Back Kay-Kay is a powerful mystery set in India, with sibling energy, complicated family dynamics, and a mission to overcome all odds. The immersive and distressing mystery will keep readers hooked as Lena slowly pieces together clues to her brother’s disappearance. Lena is the story’s highlight – an outspoken, intelligent, and courageous protagonist, willing to be rude, struggle with her family’s descent into grief, and bravely search herself to find her brother. Many around her see her stubbornness as a fault, but it proves to be her greatest ally when everyone else has lost hope. Lena’s growth as a character is also stellar. The more she uncovers clues and discovers about her brother and his hidden life, the more she grows as a person, and, eventually, a more mature sister. The ending is sweet and satisfying as well. Overall, Bringing Back Kay-Kay is an engrossing Indian mystery that will pull at reader’s hearts. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Bringing Back Kay-Kay is a powerful mystery set in India, with sibling energy, complicated family dynamics, and a mission to overcome all odds. The immersive and distressing mystery will keep readers hooked as Lena slowly pieces together clues to her brother’s disappearance. Lena is the story’s highlight – an outspoken, intelligent, and courageous protagonist, willing to be rude, struggle with her family’s descent into grief, and bravely search herself to find her brother. Many around her see her stubbornness as a fault, but it proves to be her greatest ally when everyone else has lost hope. Lena’s growth as a character is also stellar. The more she uncovers clues and discovers about her brother and his hidden life, the more she grows as a person, and, eventually, a more mature sister. The ending is sweet and satisfying as well. Overall, Bringing Back Kay-Kay is an engrossing Indian mystery that will pull at reader’s hearts. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
November 14, 2024
There was a lot about this book that I absolutely loved and could kind of relate to. As the younger sibling, I can relate to Lena, but being close to my older sibling, I see the stress and frustration of being the oldest. It was nice to get an idea of what kind of person Kay-Kay was, even though that was how Lena saw him. It helped me understand why I, as the reader, and Lena, as his sister, should care about his disappearance.
I felt like I was in India with Lena on her search. I can’t say what part of India (as I’ve never been), but her descriptions provided such imagery that I felt like I was standing side-by-side with Lena. Lena did put herself into some dangerous situations, which is kind of a pet peeve for me. Sometimes, I had to remind myself that this was meant for middle grade because, at times, it read a little older. Kothari does a nice job of depicting India’s strata or caste system. I also appreciated that this book had me looking up words and phrases I wasn’t familiar with. It didn’t take me out of the story to have to look them up (especially since I can acknowledge that I’m not entirely in the targeted audience range.)
It annoyed me that Lena, a child, was more competent than adults, but I think sometimes adults forget that children hear, see, and understand more than we think. I am glad for the happy ending, but it felt a little bare. However, I will say since this is a middle-grade book, it would have probably been too deep to get into.
Overall, this was quite enjoyable. I enjoyed the mystery and the relationships. The writing was impeccable, and this was quite the debut.
I felt like I was in India with Lena on her search. I can’t say what part of India (as I’ve never been), but her descriptions provided such imagery that I felt like I was standing side-by-side with Lena. Lena did put herself into some dangerous situations, which is kind of a pet peeve for me. Sometimes, I had to remind myself that this was meant for middle grade because, at times, it read a little older. Kothari does a nice job of depicting India’s strata or caste system. I also appreciated that this book had me looking up words and phrases I wasn’t familiar with. It didn’t take me out of the story to have to look them up (especially since I can acknowledge that I’m not entirely in the targeted audience range.)
It annoyed me that Lena, a child, was more competent than adults, but I think sometimes adults forget that children hear, see, and understand more than we think. I am glad for the happy ending, but it felt a little bare. However, I will say since this is a middle-grade book, it would have probably been too deep to get into.
Overall, this was quite enjoyable. I enjoyed the mystery and the relationships. The writing was impeccable, and this was quite the debut.
June 3, 2024
Lena needs to be careful for what she wished for. Lena wished her brother Kay-Kay would stay away at summer camp a little longer. But when her brother fails to come home, her family go to the rail station looking for him. Kay-Kay did get on the train with his friends, but vanished. For Lena and her parents waiting for Kay-Kay to come back home felt like torture. Far as Lena is concerned the police are useless, they don’t care that her brother is missing. All the police say is that within five days most teenage runaways come back home. But Kay-Kay didn’t runaway. He is missing. With Lena’s mother distraught, Lena has decided that she is going to find her brother Kay-Kay herself, if it was the last thing she did.
I love poetry so I was pleased that poems, gives this whole story a delightful touch. I did find this book quite sad, when Kay-Kay goes missing, but I remained hopeful that he would be found safe and well. The one thing this story gives out, is a special bond for a sister’s love for her brother and how a sister will do anything for her brother. Although this book is set for 9-12 years olds I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m sure other adult readers and bloggers will do too.
I love poetry so I was pleased that poems, gives this whole story a delightful touch. I did find this book quite sad, when Kay-Kay goes missing, but I remained hopeful that he would be found safe and well. The one thing this story gives out, is a special bond for a sister’s love for her brother and how a sister will do anything for her brother. Although this book is set for 9-12 years olds I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m sure other adult readers and bloggers will do too.
October 27, 2024
This debut middle-grade novel is good, really good, and it kept me guessing all the way through. Even though it's set in modern-day India, readers all over the world will be able to relate to the narrator, Lena Krishnan, who is impulsive, fidgety, and sometimes envious of the attention her older brother, Karthik [Kay-Kay] gets from her parents. Kay-Kay is smart, ambitious, and rarely gets in trouble except when he's covering for his little sister. The siblings have a strong bond, and when Kay-Kay doesn't return from a wildlife camp and the police aren't moving fast enough to find him, El-Kay takes matters in her own hands. At first, she merely contacts her brother's friends and teachers, but as time passes, and she grows more desperate, she decides to retrace his journey home from the camp, going by bus and train. Along the way, she meets friendly and unhelpful individuals and learns some truths about her brother through his poetry. Since most of the chapters are quite short and the description interesting, this book holds readers' interests as they worry that there will be no resolution for exactly where Kay-Kay is. Lena is one determined young girl who takes risks for someone she loves. This one is a 3,5 for me. I look forward to more from this author.
September 29, 2024
Bringing Back Kay-Kay by Dev Kothari is a riveting Middle Grade novel!
I’m going to be careful with what I share so I don’t give any spoilers for this mystery!
The story takes place in India. Lena’s beloved older brother Kay-Kay has gone missing: he got on the train to come home from camp, but when the train arrived at his home station, he was nowhere to be found. Lena is not satisfied with the police investigation and feels certain she can bring Kay-Kay back.
I couldn’t put this book down! I needed to keep reading to see if Lena would find Kay-Kay (and where!). I was piecing together the clues (or trying to) right alongside Lena.
I also found this to be one of those Middle Grade books that really made me reflect as a parent. (Isn’t that a cool aspect of reading MG as an adult?) This book is a reminder that you truly never know what someone is going through internally. It’s a reminder for parents to really trust and understand their kids, and to keep their own expectations for them and judgements of them in check.
I’m going to be careful with what I share so I don’t give any spoilers for this mystery!
The story takes place in India. Lena’s beloved older brother Kay-Kay has gone missing: he got on the train to come home from camp, but when the train arrived at his home station, he was nowhere to be found. Lena is not satisfied with the police investigation and feels certain she can bring Kay-Kay back.
I couldn’t put this book down! I needed to keep reading to see if Lena would find Kay-Kay (and where!). I was piecing together the clues (or trying to) right alongside Lena.
I also found this to be one of those Middle Grade books that really made me reflect as a parent. (Isn’t that a cool aspect of reading MG as an adult?) This book is a reminder that you truly never know what someone is going through internally. It’s a reminder for parents to really trust and understand their kids, and to keep their own expectations for them and judgements of them in check.
April 29, 2024
This is such a beautiful middle grade book 12+ and as an adult reader, I was deeply moved by the sibling relationship. The force of it, the love between brother and sister. Their bond. It was so lovely.
We follow Lena (second person POV) and how she is determined to bring back her missing brother. Set in India, Kay-Kay goes on a school trip but does not return home, and his younger sister is fiercely focused on discovering what happened to him. She doesn’t give up despite coming against hurdles and brick walls.
As we journey with her, she finds out more about her brother. His hopes and dreams. Through her thoughts and flashbacks, Kay-Kay becomes a significant character that the readers begin to care about.
Many characters impact Lena along the way, and Dev has written a rich, immersive story about following your heart and finding courage.
We follow Lena (second person POV) and how she is determined to bring back her missing brother. Set in India, Kay-Kay goes on a school trip but does not return home, and his younger sister is fiercely focused on discovering what happened to him. She doesn’t give up despite coming against hurdles and brick walls.
As we journey with her, she finds out more about her brother. His hopes and dreams. Through her thoughts and flashbacks, Kay-Kay becomes a significant character that the readers begin to care about.
Many characters impact Lena along the way, and Dev has written a rich, immersive story about following your heart and finding courage.
May 1, 2024
A beautiful story about having the courage to seek the truth and the strength to hold on to hope.
If you like your heroines flawed yet brave and outspoken, meet Lena. She’s the sister to golden boy, Karthik. He’s a top scholar, a natural athlete and kind friend. She loves him but feels invisible when he’s around.
When Karthik goes missing on the way back from summer camp, only Lena is brave enough to take action – the police believe he’s a runaway, her mother isn’t well, and her dad is struggling to hold everything together.
And so begins an epic journey of discovery, because Karthik isn’t the boy Lena thought she knew…
This story tackles big issues with a light touch. The writing is beautiful and lyrical and I challenge you not to cry at the end. I can’t recommend it enough.
If you like your heroines flawed yet brave and outspoken, meet Lena. She’s the sister to golden boy, Karthik. He’s a top scholar, a natural athlete and kind friend. She loves him but feels invisible when he’s around.
When Karthik goes missing on the way back from summer camp, only Lena is brave enough to take action – the police believe he’s a runaway, her mother isn’t well, and her dad is struggling to hold everything together.
And so begins an epic journey of discovery, because Karthik isn’t the boy Lena thought she knew…
This story tackles big issues with a light touch. The writing is beautiful and lyrical and I challenge you not to cry at the end. I can’t recommend it enough.
September 29, 2024
Thank you Hear Our Voices for allowing me to take part in the tour of this book! It has made my heart happy to be able to read a diverse Middle Grade novel with notes of a mystery, detective genre present in juvenile fictions! The themes of this novel explore many important themes that should be mirrored in everyday life. This Middle Grade novel gives us a sense of family, sibling bonds, self worth, friendships, discovery, human kindness, and love, in its vivid exploration of the interlocking relationships of these rich well developed characters. With that being said, this is such a great novel to read that showcases the determination of Lena, the main character and a determined motivation prevalent in love for her brother. In exploring the complexities and bonds of family, this gem, set in modern day India is a staple for the library!
October 2, 2024
This book started off strong and then slowed down. What i enjoyed most about the book was the mystery aspect. Left me guessing and nervous trying to figure out what happened to Kay Kay! I also love the relationship Kay Kay and Lena had. It sucks that Lena felt as if her parents loved him more, but after reading I can see why she felt that way.
I felt so bad for their family when Kay Kay went missing. The author did a great job of making you feel the emotions that they felt. Samir pissed me off the entire book. He seemed like he didn’t gaf about anything. I had my eye on him the whole book. Lena was so determined to find her brother and some things she did to try and find him felt unreal; and it didn’t make sense.
Overall was a decent read but the ending made me upset. All that buildup and the ending wasnt enough! Expected so much more.
I felt so bad for their family when Kay Kay went missing. The author did a great job of making you feel the emotions that they felt. Samir pissed me off the entire book. He seemed like he didn’t gaf about anything. I had my eye on him the whole book. Lena was so determined to find her brother and some things she did to try and find him felt unreal; and it didn’t make sense.
Overall was a decent read but the ending made me upset. All that buildup and the ending wasnt enough! Expected so much more.
September 28, 2024
Bringing Back Kay-Kay by Dev Kothari is an intriguing middle-grade mystery that delves into the complexities of sibling relationships and self-discovery.
The story follows Lena, who enjoys the attention she receives while her seemingly perfect brother, Kay-Kay, is away at camp. However, when Kay-Kay mysteriously vanishes, Lena is overwhelmed by guilt and fear, prompting her to embark on a determined search to find him.
Set in a vivid modern-day Indian backdrop, Kothari skillfully unravels the secrets and shadows surrounding Kay-Kay's disappearance, offering a compelling mix of suspense, familial love, and self-realization. This tightly woven narrative keeps readers guessing until the very end, making it a captivating adventure for young readers.
The story follows Lena, who enjoys the attention she receives while her seemingly perfect brother, Kay-Kay, is away at camp. However, when Kay-Kay mysteriously vanishes, Lena is overwhelmed by guilt and fear, prompting her to embark on a determined search to find him.
Set in a vivid modern-day Indian backdrop, Kothari skillfully unravels the secrets and shadows surrounding Kay-Kay's disappearance, offering a compelling mix of suspense, familial love, and self-realization. This tightly woven narrative keeps readers guessing until the very end, making it a captivating adventure for young readers.
April 16, 2025
Imagine if your hero older brother disappeared off a train whilst returning from a school camp. Lena and her family are devastated, but her parents leave the investigation to the police who believe he has run away from home. But Lena knows otherwise. Impulsive, she is determined to find him, starting with going through his stuff and retracing his steps. Authentic representation of the pressures on an oldest male child and his overlooked younger sister. Vivid scenes of life in India. Hierarchical relationships in society are well described. Includes maternal depression. Serious themes would suit young teen reader best. Ending didn't feel likely to me but I probably needed it after the emotional journey of reading- 3.5 stars.
October 6, 2025
Rating: 4
Finally a book by indian author so well written, with depth and surprisingly it is Middle grade fiction.
Writing was really good and it made me fall in love with the sibling bond of Karthik and Lena. Point of view of both siblings and their struggles , each feeling pressured to win parents approval was so real and relatable.
There were too many coincidences for Lena to help in her search but the good writing, well portrayed emotions just make up for it.
Also this is debut novel by this author and it was really great. Looking forward to more books by her.
A beautiful story of courage and sibling bond.
Finally a book by indian author so well written, with depth and surprisingly it is Middle grade fiction.
Writing was really good and it made me fall in love with the sibling bond of Karthik and Lena. Point of view of both siblings and their struggles , each feeling pressured to win parents approval was so real and relatable.
There were too many coincidences for Lena to help in her search but the good writing, well portrayed emotions just make up for it.
Also this is debut novel by this author and it was really great. Looking forward to more books by her.
A beautiful story of courage and sibling bond.
October 5, 2024
This is one of the first middle grade books I've read that has had my emotions all twisted up. Many times I questioned Lena and had thoughts of what is this child doing? But as I kept reading, I understood her why and even began to root for her. This was truly a pleasure to read and would probably make a good children's movie. The author did such a great job with this story
I received a copy of the book via Hear Our Voices tours and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions
I received a copy of the book via Hear Our Voices tours and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions
September 10, 2025
Excellent mystery - so enthralling and accessible. I fell into it and didn't want to put it down. It's hard to see Lena being overlooked and ignored, but it's impressive to see her determination and resilience. The poetry and the themes of stress and pressure to succeed academically are really well done. The sharp way Lena observes and thinks through her observations is wonderful. Probably a little fond of tween independence, but great family breakthroughs and a wonderful story about not taking the everyday for granted.
July 22, 2024
Thank you Edelweiss+ for the eARC!
This is pretty good for a debut! I think for middle grader readers who really love mystery, they might be a tad disappointed in this since it is much quieter and more character driven than many traditional mysteries. BUT I think they’ll love Lena and her tenacity and her unwillingness to give up. The end feels a little convenient and falls a little flat, but I think that is because the mystery isn’t really the core of the story – the sibling bond is.
This is pretty good for a debut! I think for middle grader readers who really love mystery, they might be a tad disappointed in this since it is much quieter and more character driven than many traditional mysteries. BUT I think they’ll love Lena and her tenacity and her unwillingness to give up. The end feels a little convenient and falls a little flat, but I think that is because the mystery isn’t really the core of the story – the sibling bond is.
October 19, 2025
Read this for some competition, and it's superrrr dense. Like, the amount of action and events that happen in a few pages are impossible to track, but that's prolly just me after reading ten classics in a row ngl.
Some of the actions behind certain characters make no sense, and the 'twist' was quite bland. Wym he fell off the train into a ditch and survived for 7 days in a jungle unconsciously.
There was really good potential for a better ending but this kind of felt like a let down.
Some of the actions behind certain characters make no sense, and the 'twist' was quite bland. Wym he fell off the train into a ditch and survived for 7 days in a jungle unconsciously.
There was really good potential for a better ending but this kind of felt like a let down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 12, 2025Set in modern India, El Kay worships (and resents) her beloved, perfect older brother Kay-Kay. But when he goes missing on his way back from camp, the police think he's a runaway, their mother gets clinically depressed, and their father gets even more dismissive. Of course, eventually in desperation El Kay has to search for him. Written in 2nd person, El Kay discovers that living up to heavy family expectations takes its own toll.
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