Isabel's mother died peacefully. At least that's what Isabel likes to think since no one in her family will talk about the truth. But in spite of their avoidance, in spite of their brave faces, the truth has a way of revealing itself at night, in her family's behavior. Her father sleeps curled up on the floor right where Mama's body was found. Olivia wets her bed and wakes repeatedly from nightmares, and Frank has started carving his anger into his bedroom wall. It's up to Isabel to help her family get beyond the pain and loss―to be the keeper of the night. But who will help Isabel? “Evocative . . . haunting . . . magic.” ― Publishers Weekly, Starred Review “Beautifully written.” ― School Library Journal, Starred Review “Exquisitely presented . . . stunningly beautiful.” ― Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review “Heart-rending. . . . [Holt] has created an endearing, complicated narrator in Isabel; she manages to sound both lyrical and like the eighth grader she is.” ― The New York Times Book Review “Holt's plain, direct prose belies the deep pain the narrator feels as she tries to understand her mother's life and death.” ― Bookpage “Beautifully written, this tale reaches into the heart of Guam and touches gold.” ― Seattle Times “[E]xtended families, unhurried lives, the wisdom of elders, the individual quirks and eccentricities and the deep love holding up the surface of everyday life will all be familiar to readers of Holt's previous work.” ― Times Picayune Twenty three years ago Kimberly Willis Holt stopped talking about wanting to be a writer and started to pursue her dream. Because of her family's Louisiana roots she considers herself a southerner, but her father's military career took her to places beyond the South, including Paris and Guam. She's the author of more than fifteen books for a wide range of ages, many of which have won awards and honors. Her third novel, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She writes and gardens in Texas. Keeper of the Night By Kimberly Willis Holt Square Fish Copyright © 2011 Kimberly Willis Holt All right reserved. ISBN: 9780312661038 Keeper of the Night A Dutiful Daughter M y mother died praying on her knees. Her rosary beads were still in her hands when we found her. She left no note, said no good-byes, gave no last hugs or kisses. Only the empty bottle of sleeping pills that had rolled under her bed proved that she'd meant to leave.I found her first. But I didn't know she was dead. I thought she was praying.That morning, I eased her door shut, tied on her apron, and made breakfast for my little brother and sister. I felt proud to scramble their eggs and butter their toast.Later I tied blue ribbons in Olivia's hair and dipped the comb into a glass of water before parting Frank's. I had no idea it was the first of many mornings I'd be doing that. Continues... Excerpted from Keeper of the Night by Kimberly Willis Holt Copyright © 2011 by Kimberly Willis Holt. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.