Cousins

Cousins #1

by Virginia Hamilton

The story of eleven-year-old Cammy, who must come to grips with the sudden death of her cousin and rival, Patty Ann. "Another wise, beautifully written book from this well-established master."--Kirkus

Being cousins doesn't mean you'll be friends....

Cammy loves her family -- except for her cousin Patty Ann. Though she knows she shouldn't feel this way, she can't help it. Patty Ann is too perfect to like, too perfect to be a friend.

Then one day something terrible happens, something that can't be changed. That's when Cammy learns the truth about Patty Ann, and about family love -- and forgiveness.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle Grade, African American, Realistic Fiction, Cultural

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Virginia Esther Hamilton was the author of forty-one works of fiction and nonfiction. She was the first Black writer awarded the Newbery Medal and the first children's writer to be named a MacArthur Fellow (the "Genius" grant). She also received the National Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal.

Reviews

[Patrice Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this as a kid and loving it. Details are a little lacking after 20 years but hey... Still a great read.

[Bodhi K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am currently reading Virginia Hamilton's Cousins. The book Is about an eleven year old girl named Cammy. She has a dying great grandmother that she calls Gram Tut. I am at the part when Cammy runs away from her cousins house because of an argument . Their argument was about how Patty Ann was so beautiful and good at everything she did. Finally Cammy broke into tears and ran out the door. It was thundering and raining and Cammy was scared in the cold rain. Cammy hates thunder and found some shelter. I really like this author so far because he goes into good detail of how Cammy's afraid of thunder. Cammy finally saw her brother's pickup truck and waved to her brother and got in. I can relate to this when I woke up to loud thunder and misinterpreted it by a gun shot. I felt really scared, but then I saw the rain outside my window and I wasn't scared anymore. I would rate this book five out of zero stars because Cammy has a lot of different kinds of moods. She can be sad, excited, energetic, happy, mad, enthusiastic, awesome, and even silly. This book is very Leisurely Paced and is a Fiction book. I recommend this book to you if you like books that are Leisurely Paced and Fiction.

[La Kata E.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over twenty years ago as a child and the sadness this book evoked still lingeres whenever I remember reading the story. It's the kind of book that I am going to have my daughter read as soon as she is old enough. It was a heart wrenching book that caused me to truly think at such a young age.

[Bernadette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was wondering what was going to happen to stir up the cousins! I could not relate to this aspect of the book; I never was close to my cousins or grandmother, but I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in the family relationships in this book. The book touches on a lot of issues that would lead to great book discussions – dealing with death, under-age drinking, unemployment, language, caring for elderly family members, and prejudice. Central to the book is dealing with death – both of the inevitable death of Gram Tut and the sudden death of Patty Ann. Many people have difficulty discussing death with elderly people and I really enjoyed the way Cammy and Gram handle it in the book. The language used in the book seemed authentic as well, even down to the grandmother constantly thinking about the children not speaking "proper" English. The most striking feature of the book for me, however, was the honesty. The feelings of the characters are shared without shame, but the characters grow and mature.

[Natalia Miranda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't recommend the book but I honestly did not like it. Not my type of book, and sorta hard to read, and some grammar errors. Cammy has a family that does not get along, her cousin Patty Ann is perfect and is good at everything. But pattys brother richie is bad. Cammys brother Andrew is a nice kid and her mom is awesome. And her grandma Tut which she loves and is very old. But after Patty Ann died, Cammy felt blamed and haunted after her death. But then she overcame and learned how to love and forgive.

[Kimberly OutspokenMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very, VERY touching to the heart and mind. It's basically a life lesson to read/talk about. Virginia did an awesome job writing this book.

[Gabrielle]

Theme

The theme of the book "Cousins" is to always love and forgive your family no matter how they act and what they do. I say this because Cammy and Patty Ann where two cousins that never got along. They would argue almost every day. I know this because in the book Patty Ann tells Cammy on page 31 “You are jealous just because I can sit on my hair and I get all straight A’s.” They argued and criticized each other.

Until one day when Patty Ann died because of Cammy. The book says that’s when Cammy realized that she had really loved Patty Ann no matter how bad they treated each other. This is where I get my theme from. To always love and forgive your family no matter how they act or what they do. I think Cammy wouldn’t have so much grief for herself if she would have at least shown or told Patty Ann that she loved her. That way Patty Ann could have died knowing that her cousin had loved her, despite of what happened.

[Wan Yu( Stephanie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed while I read this book,because I like how the author illustrated the relationship between the main character and her cousin; the way the author use details to described the characters' feelings. Cammy loves her family but her cousin Patty, because of her appearances and actions to others. I agreed with Xiao Wen, she said being cousin doesn't mean they are be friends. Yeah! Cousin is part of the family, and their relationship can't be deleted. this reminds me about my cousins. My relationship with my cousins aren't good but better than with my friends.Cousin isn't equal to friend. Cousin can be better than friend and friend can be better than cousin also. One difference is cousin is forever!

[Xiao Wen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a hard book to read, but just sometimes, I don't get use to the oral words and sentences. I like the sentence that shows on the cover, which is "Being cousins doesn't mean you'll be friends." I like this sentence, because I agree with it. Sometimes, I think that friends are more important than cousins, because cousins are just kind of like the family relationship, it can't be erase it out, and it doesn't mean anything. But friends are different, friendships can be erase it out, and it shows the relationship between two unknown people.

[James Barnett · Rating 2 out of 5]

The protagonist of “Cousins” name is Cammy. At the beginning of the story Cammy showed jealousy toward her cousin Patty Ann. Cammy felt that Patty Ann was perfect because she was older, she had long curly hair, her clothes were all brand new, she earned straight A’s in school, and she never got in trouble with her mom the way Cammy does. Cammy thought it was no reason to like Patty. Cammy is a dynamic character in this book because at the end she learned to love Patty, when Patty saves Cammy from drowning at camp. Cammy can be described as sassy, mean, and prejudice.

[Marwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book. It was actually amazing how Gram Tut comes home from the nursing care. I just finished reading and i really enjoyed it... I recommend this book to those people who haven't read this book, they should read it. Try reading a couple pages in this book. it's a little boring in the first couple pages, but i would give it a *4* :)

[Ann Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it...I felt the author handled every issue with honesty and grace...it was at times difficult to understand because of the language used however one was able to insert themselves into the story therefore making the language obstacles less noticeable...and you are totally able to see the world through this little girls eyes...I recommend this one for your fourth and fifth grade readers...

[Mas5thgrade2011 · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a very mysterious book. Two things are very mysterious in this book. You will love this book if you are into historical fiction. It has many sad and happy moods at different time and pionts in the story.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 star for me. Poignant and tender--I love Cammy's love for her grandmother and how Cammy's family comes together to support her after she witnesses a horrible accident befall one of her cousins.

[Jamal Dodd]

what I thought about this book is generous/amazing.I love to read good books like this I'm 10 years old and
i like to read .My parents buy me good and amazing books like theses.
So i like to read books.

[Marna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading Bluish at some point in my child/teenhood, but didn't remember it very well. After reading this lyrical and moving book, I feel like I've discovered a new favorite. I also have M.C. Higgins, the Great and will be reading that soon.

[Cws]

JEAR3-Ham

[Aida · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a little hard to read (yes, I know) but once I got into it, it was great and didn't put it down until I finished it!

[Mr.M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected and really gripping. Loved it. Hamilton won the Newbery Award for "M.C. Higgins the Great." I found "M.C." too dragging and anti-climactic. Not so "Cousins." Read it!

[PennsyLady (Bev)]

Three cousins set out on an emotional journey over a summer, in which there is rivalry, deep hostility, and a death.
Death, cousins, grandmothers -- Juvenile fiction.

Hardcover... challenge

Unrated

[Salsabrarian]

*SPOILER* Cammy’s big family reunion is approaching when she meets second cousins Fractal and GiGi. Cammy’s world is turned upside down when she learns Fractal is her half-sister via her father.

[Gale · Rating 3 out of 5]

GOOD Grief

This book dissects the contentious dynamics of a Black family in the Midwest. Related from the viewpoint of young Cammy, the story presents the emotional tug of war which she experiences: toward her seemingly privileged cousin, Patty Ann; her devotion to her aged grandmother who resides in a Care Facility; her ambivalence toward her absent father; her admiration for her older brother, and a general family division re her aunt’s troubled family.

Don’t worry—there is no spoiler in this review, but insightful middle-school readers may pick up the few literary clues of foreshadowing. Tragedy seems to bring out latent guilt; curiously, group glee dissolves rapidly into group malaise. The book’s cover subtly implies that Cammy’s absent father may be white, although racism is not a theme. Cammy comes of age with stark brutality; she is so young to have to learn to grieve—or fear the inevitability of death. (Which is always hardest on those who are left behind…)

March 24, 2022

[Tracy L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! It was genuine on the love a child has for her grandmother, and the love a grandmother has for her grandchild. The relationships that Cammy experiences, from cousins, brothers, neighbors, parents, and just her classmates shows how she matures in the understanding of loving and in the empty feeling of loss (death). Hamilton helps the reader understand that people do feel guilt and bury the true feeling of loss. Everyone of us deals with death differently, and it’s growing with the acceptance of that loss.

[Catarina Carvalho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro da minha juventude que reli rapidamente para recordar. É uma história de amor e perda pelos olhos de uma menina de dez anos.

[Andrea Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

The relationship between Cammy and her grandmother totally got me.

[Elizabeth]

It is about black people respecting each other and familes.

[Debra Barstad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book about the dynamics of family life.

[Hendrix Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Clear Wildolives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Love the emotions it brings. And I love the hope it has.

[Allison]

Children’s books used to have real content in them. We trusted children to read about hard things. I miss that.