Bringing Back Kay-Kay

When Lena’s older brother Kay-Kay doesn’t return from summer camp, Lena knows she must find him.

The police think he’s run away, and the other boys don’t know why he disappeared from the train. Lena’s parents are overcome with grief, and trust the police will find him. But Lena believes one school friend knows more than he’s letting on. And she knows her brother wouldn’t run away.

So she sets out to investigate – and discovers that Kay-Kay has been keeping secrets. Her quest will take her across India in a train, and into the past. Can Lena find her beloved brother? 

This mystery story, set in contemporary India, is both gripping and emotional. Lena has always felt like the lesser child compared to her ‘perfect’ brother, and complicated sibling and parent-child relationships are explored in a compelling way here. Meanwhile, Kay-Kay feels the weight of his parents’ expectations – another theme – and pours out his feelings in poetry. The value of having a voice is key to this plot, as is the value of the arts.

It is an accomplished debut novel – finely balanced between action and emotion. This would provide lots of talking points as a class reader.  

Pan nad yw brawd hŷn Lena, Kay-Kay, yn dychwelyd o wersyll haf, mae Lena yn gwybod bod yn rhaid iddi ddod o hyd iddo. Mae’n darganfod ei fod wedi bod yn cadw cyfrinachau ac yn teithio ar draws India ac yn ôl i'r gorffennol i ddod â'i brawd annwyl yn ôl.

Mae’r dirgelwch hwn, wedi'i leoli yn yr India gyfoes, yn gyffrous ac yn emosiynol. Mae’n archwilio cydberthynas teuluoedd, y celfyddydau a'r gwerth o fod â llais. Mae’n nofel gyntaf hyfedr – wedi'i chydbwyso'n gain rhwng bwrlwm ac emosiwn – a byddai'n ysbrydoli trafodaeth fel llyfr dosbarth.