Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp (Kindle Version Available for 0.99 cents for a Limited Time)

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Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp (Kindle Version Available for 0.99 cents for a Limited Time)

by Robert W. Sweeting (Goodreads Author)

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 11 ratings · 14 reviews

A thirteen-year-old boy’s life is drastically altered when his father dies in a freak accident in New Orleans, LA. He is forced to move to Louisiana’s Plantation country and live with his eccentric great Aunt on the estate of a haunted plantation. When Zach sets out to explore the swamp country that lies beyond his Aunt’s backyard, his life changes forever. In the swamp, h...more

Kindle Edition, 242 pages

Published February 24th 2012

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Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp
by Robert W. Sweeting (Goodreads Author)

A mother that disappeared without a trace, a sudden tragic death and then being forcibly uprooted from your home. That is what Zach, a thirteen year o…more

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Sep 03, 2012 Robert Sweeting rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

This is my most recent review from Debonair Online Magazine.
Book Review: Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp, by Matthew McHenry
August 17, 2012 By Joseph Federico Leave a Comment

-written by: Matthew McHenry

Amazing Fantasy Grounded in Stark Reality – Robert Sweeting’s Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp

I’ve been an avid reader my entire life, and although I love to read and at any given time am reading anywhere between 1 and 3 books, very rarely am I truly pulled into the story as I was with Kekaju and the Hidd...more This is my most recent review from Debonair Online Magazine.
Book Review: Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp, by Matthew McHenry
August 17, 2012 By Joseph Federico Leave a Comment

-written by: Matthew McHenry

Amazing Fantasy Grounded in Stark Reality – Robert Sweeting’s Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp

I’ve been an avid reader my entire life, and although I love to read and at any given time am reading anywhere between 1 and 3 books, very rarely am I truly pulled into the story as I was with Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp. Once I started reading, I literally could not put it down. I found myself sneaking in a few pages here and there as I could, and devouring huge sections before bed at night.

On the surface, the story follows Zarchary Bonroy, a thirteen-year-old boy living New Orleans. After his mother mysteriously disappears during his younger childhood, he lives with his father until he is tragically killed in a trolley accident – apparently after being pushed by a ghostly-looking little girl. Soon after, he moves with his aunt to the guest house she lives in on the grounds of a supposedly haunted plantation. He is soon pulled into a fantasy world and learns obligatory, but necessary, life lessons along the way.

The best part of the book is Sweeting’s polarity in the world of the story. Zach, who on the outside, comes off as a street-smart punk with a major chip on his shoulder, is truly just a boy who craves the basics: family and friendship. The stark reality of modern-day, lower-class New Orleans contrasts the fantasy world that Zach is swept into. Zach is unable to effectively communicate with the adults around him, yet can hold entire conversations with the colorful cast of almost mythological characters and animals.

It’s fair to say that Zachary would hold his own with the Darlings and the Pevensies (of Neverland and Narnia fame respectively for you rubes out there) in the literary fantasy realm! I look very forward to reading where Zachary’s adventures take him next time. Until then, get your hands on or download a copy of Robert Sweeting’s Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp and prepare yourself for some great reading.

Amazon link to Kindle version here!

Amazon link to Book version here!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 18, 2013 Alisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a unique and fantastical middle reader story. The book begins tragically with Zach’s father dying on his 13th birthday, when a strange girl pushes him in to the path of a trolley and then disappears. Immediately strange things start to happen to Zach, like seeing ghosts and hearing voices telling him he needs to go and live with his strange aunt out in the country. Zach is sure that life in the Louisiana countryside is going to be s...more I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a unique and fantastical middle reader story. The book begins tragically with Zach’s father dying on his 13th birthday, when a strange girl pushes him in to the path of a trolley and then disappears. Immediately strange things start to happen to Zach, like seeing ghosts and hearing voices telling him he needs to go and live with his strange aunt out in the country. Zach is sure that life in the Louisiana countryside is going to be so boring but he soon finds out how wrong he is.
One day Zach goes in search of hidden pirate treasure in the swamp and finds Kikaju instead. He is a nutria, not a rat like everyone seems to think, and the prince of a hidden world. An evil crocodile has stolen a magic stone from Kikaju’s father and imprisoned him. Now it is up to Kikaju to find a way to get it back and fix all the horrible things that the crocodile has done to the land. With the help of Zach and a whole cast of crazy characters Kikaju sets out to save his world. During his adventure you meet some ghosts, a whole slew of talking animals and one crazy, scary cat lady, just to name a few of the strange people in the story. Throw in a lot of magic and some good old voodoo and you have a great story that kids will love.
While the book is fun for kids I do have to say that I was not as draw in to the book as an adult as I have been with other children's stories. There are a lot of times that the story seems to jump around a bit too much and I kept wishing for a little more depth to the story. I just kept feeling that if the author had taken the time to add just a little more detail to things such as the characters stories or to explain more about the world that Kekaju came from it would have made the story so much better. I also had a hard time with the language in the book. I am assuming that it is supposed to represent a sort of Cajun/Bayou type dialect but since I have never been to Louisiana I can only guess that this is really how they talk there. I just made some of the dialog hard to follow for this Westerner. All that being said, most kids don't care about this sort of stuff and since that is who the book was written for, all that matters is that it is an excellent children's book.
Just a small warning to parents: if you have sensitive children you may want to preview the book first. The crocodile in the book chomps people in half and has their tongues ripped out and while it is not greatly descriptive it may still be a little intense for some kids.(less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Kristi Bernard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Zach Bonroy has turned thirteen. His father plans to take him to his favorite restaurant, Delmonicos of New Orleans in the French Quarter. Little did he know he and his father would be met with tragedy. Zach's life had been turned upside down, and to add further stress, he is seeing ghosts and talking to them. Forced to live with his elderly aunt Astoria in Pipadow he soon learns to adapt. Zach has even acquired a new strange friend, Perry James Pichot. According to aunt Astoria, Perry has been...more

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Jun 28, 2012 C.M. Truxler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, fiction, fantasy-fiction

Robert W. Sweeting’s Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp is a magical ride that no upper-middle grade student will forget. The story takes place between New Orleans, its surrounding area, and the Hidden Swamp that co-exists within the historic locale in unseen realms. The action that follows the first deadly scene is nonstop. There is never a dull moment within these pages. From spirits and magical forest critters to evil crocodiles and zombie creatures, this book will entertain the young reader with cr...more

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May 14, 2012 Lynn Worton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Zach Bonroy is a thirteen year old boy thrown into an adventure when his father is killed by a ghostly girl. Zach is determined not to leave his home in New Orleans, but a supernatural event convinces him to leave with his Great Aunt Astoria, who lives on the grounds of a haunted plantation.
There he meets Perry James, a boy who never grows old, and a Nutria called Kekaju. Thanks to the piece of the Gris-gris stone that Kekaju carries, Zach is able to understand the animals of the swamp. Together...more Zach Bonroy is a thirteen year old boy thrown into an adventure when his father is killed by a ghostly girl. Zach is determined not to leave his home in New Orleans, but a supernatural event convinces him to leave with his Great Aunt Astoria, who lives on the grounds of a haunted plantation.
There he meets Perry James, a boy who never grows old, and a Nutria called Kekaju. Thanks to the piece of the Gris-gris stone that Kekaju carries, Zach is able to understand the animals of the swamp. Together, they go on an adventure to find the remaining broken pieces of the Gris-gris stone. Will Zach and Kekaju manage to get all the pieces, or will Cronie and Old Croc stop them and get the pieces for themselves?

This is a fantastic tale for middle school children/young teens! It's full of mystery, action and adventure. I loved the way Robert Sweeting has written this book. It has an almost poetic flow to it. However, I did struggle a little bit with the Cajun inflection of the dialogue. I was not brought up in Louisiana, and had trouble relating the "accent" in my mind. This is my own shortcomings I speak of, I am not trying to detract from the excellent writing of the author; Other readers may not have the same issue.
I loved the interaction between Zach and the rest of the cast of characters. Kekaju is a Nutria, a rat like animal that lives in the swamp. However, he has a small piece of the Gris-gris stone, which enables him to speak to, and understand, humans. When he meets Zach, he is hiding from Cronie, a particularly vicious alligator. However, there is an even more evil character living in this swamp, Old Croc. He wants all the pieces of the Gris-gris stone, of which there are three, so that he may rule the whole swamp and control the humans by turning them into zombies!
There are some really grisly scenes that the children will love, and made me think "Oh, gross!". However, they are not overly offensive and convey the menace of Old Croc and Cronie perfectly. I think I would be petrified to meet these two characters! They scared me!
I am now looking forward to reading the next story in this series, as it looks like there is more trouble in store for Zach and Kekaju! I recommend this book if your child is into mystery, action/adventure, ghosts, zombies, ghouls or talking animals!(less)

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Jun 22, 2012 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't often read books for Children or Middle Grade readers. I decided to take a chance on this one because I love to see what new authors can do.

The book begins in New Orleans with tragedy and a series of very creepy events that turn Zach's life upside down. He becomes an orphan and must move in with his strange aunt in an other town near the swamps.

As the story progresses, things dive deeper into eerie territory. Zach meets ghosts, monsters, and talking animals who all have some role to pla...more I don't often read books for Children or Middle Grade readers. I decided to take a chance on this one because I love to see what new authors can do.

The book begins in New Orleans with tragedy and a series of very creepy events that turn Zach's life upside down. He becomes an orphan and must move in with his strange aunt in an other town near the swamps.

As the story progresses, things dive deeper into eerie territory. Zach meets ghosts, monsters, and talking animals who all have some role to play in his adventures. The author's excellent descriptions of the swamp setting and his grasp of Louisiana folklore add to the feelings of dread and wonder.

Unfortunately, the great beginnings unravel and spiral out of control deeper into the book. After the halfway point, things get a little harder to follow. The climactic final battle is just a jumble of seemingly mindless happenings strung together in a chapter that lasts far too long.

There were a few things that bothered me when reading this book.

1.Several characters repeat phrases or words too much, especially when it is mostly gibberish like 'Mooshka Kalina!' and the old aunt's favorite phrase 'mum, mum'. this filled word count and could have been used effectively if it hadn't been repeated so many times.

2. Spelling errors happen to everyone, but multiple repeated misspellings of the same two words is a problem. In this book, 'too' is always spelled incorrectly as 'to'...and 'scared' is always spelled wrong as 'scarred'. When your story makes heavy use of a word...it needs to be spelled right!

3. This was presented as a children's or middle grade book. There is some fairly graphic violence which included mutilated limbs and torn out tongues and eyes. Seems a little too much to stay in a children's category.

Ok, I admit that I actually liked the characters and most of the plot. Unfortunately there are several loose ends that will have to wait for a sequel, but that is ok. I think this would make an amazing animated feature if the violence can be toned down and the 'final battle' can be cleaned up to make it flow well.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I think I will probably pass on any upcoming sequels.(less)

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May 17, 2012 Sarah Baethge rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

How would you react if your entire world was torn apart and the only friends that you can find are vermin set on die-hard quests of seeming nonsense? Wait, let me explain; in Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp by Robert W Sweeting we start by looking at the life of Zach Bonroy. He lives a normal enough life with his father in New Orleans.Yes his mother isn’t around (she ran off years ago for whatever reason), but he lives an ordinary life as a non-outstanding person. When his father is suddenly pushed...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Mallory Anne-Marie by: Making Connections YA Edition

Shelves: 2013-authors-new-to-me-challenge, 2013_reads, february_2013_reads

Review of Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp
4 stars

A boy’s thirteenth birthday ought to be a really special day, especially for a boy who’s already had enough sorrow in his young life. Not so for Zachary Bonroy, whose mother went out to the market one day and just never returned. On his thirteenth birthday, as his father and he are headed out to breakfast in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Zach stops to check out the home of his Great-Aunt’s former husband—and his father is killed in a senseless streetcar...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Rebecca McKinnon added it

Shelves: couldn-t-finish

I made it 3/4 of the way through this book.

Unfortunately, while I thought the idea was good, it couldn't hook me. The book started out pretty good, but it got kind of confusing (it felt rather disjointed to me).

There were times I felt myself being drawn in, only to have something jolt me out of it. Certain characters would say the same random thing over and over, which could have been great, but I felt it was overdone. Really, I felt the whole - well, the 3/4 I read, anyway - could have used a r...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Margaret Arvanitis rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: preteens

Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp is a book I would have dared myself to read on a dark night when I was that age. This book is about an orphaned preteen who has to live with his weird, but loving, Auntie and her strange friends. There is the scary old house next door. Author Robert W. Sweeting has this mid grade book all wrapped up in creepy swamps, bodies covered with sheets, bleeding ghosts, monsters, and strange talking animals. Just what young kids like. Another rewrite may have made it tighter a...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Allan Krummenacker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I won a copy of this book through an online promotion contest and it is good. Really good. If I could I would've given it 4.5 stars. The only reason I didn't go for 5 is a personal quirk. The author does a great job of giving us the flavor of the cajun language which, for me, was a little difficult to follow at times. But this will not apply to everyone.

We're introduced to Zach, who on his 13th birthday, loses his father. As his world is turned upside down, he goes to live with his aunt out in...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Matt Kelland rated it 1 of 5 stars

Tried it, didn't like it. Definitely one for my teenage daughter, though.

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Nov 11, 2012 Karasu marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: won

Just won a copy through the Goodreads giveaway. So (eventually) I'll be putting up a review.

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Mar 31, 2013 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

It was quite different from what I normally read. Hard to stick with it at times but overall a good book.

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About Robert W. Sweeting

I am the author of Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp, which is book one in a series of four. I was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida. I spent most of my young adult life in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is there that I fell in love with the mysteries that the swamp holds. I now reside on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where I work and write.

I started Kekaju and the Hidden Swamp several years ago. It was fi...more

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