The Empress of Elsewhere
By Theresa Nelson
Published by DK Ink
278 p.

Review by Lindsay, age 16

The two main characters in The Empress of Elsewhere have little in common except for a certain capuchin monkey named Empress. Eleven-year-old Jim's close-knit supportive family contrasts sharply with the situation of J.D., a teenage girl living miserably with her rich, icy grandmother.

The monkey pulls the two together when J.D.'s grandmother hires Jim, along with his younger sister Mary Al, to monkey-sit both the animal and her granddaughter, a girl so putrid that people had to be paid to play with her.

...sometimes it takes kids breaking a few rules to help adults see what really matters.

After a rocky beginning, the trio slowly become friends and spend their days fixing an old tree house on a tiny island in a lake on the grandmother's property. But there is deep pain in this sad old house that made everybody hurt so bad. J.D. and her grandmother barely communicate as they both simmer with guilt, sorrow and anger.

When her grandmother puts a sudden stop to their trips to the island, J.D. takes off on a secret mission, dragging her friends along with her. Through this adventure, the friends discover important things about each other and themselves. J.D. discloses some disturbing events from her past, but with the help of her friends and Empress, she comes to terms with them and starts to move forward.

It's about a family that has fallen apart and a monkey that helps bring them back together.

Although the story is a bit incredible at times, the author really makes the characters come to life. From the 300-pound speechless butler at the big house to the down-to-earth Texan voice of Jim as the narrator, this book balances the fantastic with realistic kid reactions. The result is a fun read that really carries you along.

The Empress of Elsewhere delivers a wonderful story about love, trust and missing the things you love. It's about a family that has fallen apart and a monkey that helps bring them back together. And it shows that sometimes it takes kids breaking a few rules to help adults see what really matters. This is a book for all ages, something to be enjoyed by both the young and the young at heart.

Other great books about teens living with and learning from their grandparents:

Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt. Gram doesn't hug much but she's there when you need her.

The Sin Eater by Gary Schmidt. Cole's grandparents share old family stories and a mystery.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. You'll fall in love with these loving and eccentric grandparents.

Granny the Pag by Nina Bawden. This grandma rides a Harley.

Grand Mothers edited by Nkki Giovanni. A collection of short pieces by writers like Gloria Naylor and Maxine Hong Kingston.