Cheng, Andrea. Where Do You Stay?

Cheng, Andrea.  Where Do You Stay?      

Boyd's Mill     2011  134p    17.95    978-1-59078-707-6

 elm/ms      Realistic Fiction       VG    

“Eleven-year-old Jerome Mason goes to live with his aunt and cousins following the death of his mom, and although Aunt Geneva tries to make him feel welcome, Jerome misses his mother and his

piano which has been sold to cover expenses, and the only person who seems to

understand his feelings is Mr. Willie, a man who does odd jobs to support

himself while living in the carriage house of an empty, dilapidated mansion.”

      When eleven year-old Jerome Mason’s mother passes away from cancer, his

aunt, Miss Geneva, moves him into her home across town from his Cincinnati home. 

His aunt’s two sons (his cousins), Monte, ten, and Damon, fifteen are mean and a

nuisance.  Jerome misses his Mama and the life they enjoyed together, as well as

the piano that they shared.  Even though his aunt’s good gestures to adopt and

reach out to Jerome are evident, the tension between he and his cousins are real. 

Jerome meets Mr. Willie, an elderly man who sleeps in a carriage house beside an

empty mansion. Mr. Willie survives by taking on odd jobs.  Since Jerome and Mr.

Willie both  love playing the piano, the two make a good connection.  As a child,

Jerome took piano lessons at the mansion next to Mr. Willie’s carriage house and

wonders if the piano is still in the mansion.  Mr. Willie is a good listener and

the two create a garden together.  When Mr. Willie disappears and the house

sells, Jerome wonders where he went.  When he gets a note from Mr. Willie, he

and his aunt and cousins go for a visit.  As the story progresses, it’s nice to

see Jerome’s acceptance of his new family and of being adopted by his aunt. 

Throughout the text, Jerome’s Mama words are interwoven, making her presence and

connection to Jerome very real.           Forba-Mayer, Charleen