The Hoarders

The Cousin Cycle #1

by Jean Stringam

When nine-year-old Cheyenne Walker and his younger brother lose the mother they love and the aunt they trust, they go underground to survive. But they've spent years on the edge already and they've developed some skills. They know what kinds of foods will take them the furthest, what kind of people to avoid (Grey Tooth), and how to watch adults to get the clues as to which ones will help them. What they have yet to work out is whether Dead Uncle Dick is a good ghost or a bad one, and if the monstrous-looking lady in the hospital bed is really someone they love. The brothers' story is an adventure and a mystery with a sprinkling of kid jokes. ( BTW,  The Hoarders  is NOT about people with messy houses like the TV show.) 

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 8, 2010

About the author

Jean Stringam has worn many hats, from piano teacher to English professor and from member of SAG to member of SCBWI. Born and raised in Alberta, Canada, she has lived in France, China, England, and half a dozen US states. Her definition of home is wherever the people she loves happen to live. Jean says stories are wonderful because you can live everywhere you can imagine and be anyone you can envision.

She is eager to see your reviews on GoodReads and Amazon for her newest novels, REGRETS TREE ON FIRE, HOW NOT TO CRY IN PUBLIC & OTHER VICTORIES, and SOLSTICE MAGIC.

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, though it wasn't quite what I expected. I thought maybe it would show how the boys became hoarders, and then how it escalated in their life. I didn't know it was #1 in a series. But it was still good. It did show how the boys became hoarders, and I really understood how you could get in that mentality -even at safe points in their lives, they never could let go of their hoards and feel completely safe. The characters were well-written, and the ending wasn't corny or wicked predictable. It's a fast read, too. Good for an airplane or vacation book.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. I hope I re-read this someday if only to savor Cheyenne's thoughts & the way her words were put together and expressed. Fascinating plot. Dynamic characters. Thank you, Ms. Stringam!!!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read for upper elementary grades. The book feels almost too lightweight for its rather heavy subjects, but I grew to love the two brothers at the heart of the story.

[Rachael Heuseveldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Loved this book! Cheyenne and Joaquin’s story is so sad, yet they are hilarious. Loved their love for life, each other, Aunt Amy, and cousins.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My aunt sent me this book to read and give my opinion about the book. It's hard to do that. Would I have liked the book more or less if it had come to me another way. I have to say that this is my favorite aunt, and this book is by her new best friend. So... First you have to know that for me a three star rating is good. I only give very exceptional books a four-- like this year's Newberry-- I loved, The One and only Ivan. Books like Walk Two Moons and The Giver get five star ratings. I don't have many of those. So-- a three star is good for me. It says, I liked it. check my other good reads books and you will see that what I say is true.
I have read lots of young adult fiction. This was not a stand out-- the writing was not clever and did not use writing strategies found in good literature, but many books these days are like that. The author had a good story and she told it well. It had a good start but then the story was slow for me. It took a long time for the boys to make it back to the start. I wanted to get back to the start where she left us. That didn't happen until the very end of the book. Even with that said, it did hold my interest. I read it in a couple of hours one quiet afternoon. I was glad for the happy ending, but it was a pretty sad story. ** stop here for spoilers***
Two boys have a mother who doesn't take care of them. The older boy learns how to make pancakes and they get by. He makes them food whenever they have something in the house to cook. The mom finally leaves them with Aunt Amy saying that Amy would make a better mother than she did. Aunt Amy is left paying for the mother's hospital bills, which a huge. Aunt Amy is left to pay for it all. For me it was hard to believe that the family didn't rally together and help pay off the bills. After all, it wasn't Amy who incurred the bills. They should have all pitched in. That was hard to believe. It was also a little hard to believe that no one missed Amy or went looking for her when she was missing for weeks. Why didn't the school drive out to the house when the boys didn't show up? Just a little unbelievable. I did like the summer fun with cousins. I'm glad that the boys could be children without cares for that golden period of time.
That the boys had their own little stash of food was a unique idea. I loved the part when the aunt taught them about how to take care of the ants. I loved that she didn't tell them that they couldn't have their backpacks filled with cans of food. Of course I sobbed at the end when the young boy doesn't have to be the man in charge anymore. Dead Uncle Dick (funny part of the story) took him in his big strong arms and finally he can cry for the loss of his mother, and aunt, and for not having to make his own food anymore. That was a powerful moment in the book.
It does make you stop and realize that we have it pretty good. I can open my fridge and cupboards and always find something. It's hard to imagine being down to my last seven cans. It's good to make us stop and think about what we have and to count our blessings. It's worth the read.

[Rick Seely]

Heartfelt, great, fantastic...all the adjectives. You have natural wonderful way of painting in the readers mind very vivid pictures of every life situation and do it with one short paragraph of relatively short sentences. You have it mastered. The way you told the story through Cheyenne i think is classic. I enjoyed the nicknames of the twins. I laughed out loud on page 138..Vinegar ad Oil, Rough and Tumble, and Vigor and Vim. I sort of wish that we would have done that with Matt and Marianne but we never did...it would have been fun. Aunt Amy and her aneurysm...my how you can relate to that...I was in Atlanta on the phone with you and you had to stop abruptly...lying on the floor running out of energy. Thank God you made a complete recovery. Jean, you are very talented. I hope you sell a bazillion copies. For lack of words I can only echo the three paragraphs on the back cover. I'm recommending it to all my family and friends. I'm glad Dead Uncle Dick got his Richard back in the end. I'm glad I never got tagged with Dick. Again, congratulations, well done...I'm proud to actually know a real author. It wouldn't suprise me if you are not already working on another book. Stay healthy and love life.....Rick

[Sage Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hoarders is the first book in a series. The series takes one main event in an extended family's life and shows how this event affects each cousin from different family cultures. Hoarders takse off with the point of view of two young children who have an unstable family life, where they are often left to fend for themselves. However, as Jean says herself says (I heard her speak) children need stories of hope... and this book has a message of hope as well as a good ending that will be satisfying and comforting to children and adults alike.

This would make a great book for kids who are about 10 years old to read in school...although as an adult I found it very compelling. I even cried at the end. Jean Stingam shows great incite into the lives a children who are underprivileged and left to fend for themselves. I can easily see children connecting to this story. In addition Jean has provided thought provoking questions at the end of the book for use by teachers. I heavily recommend this book for use in the classroom as well as a great read individually.

Her new book "Balance" is just out and I intend to read it too. It is from the point of view of a 12 year old girl who has a very solid family life, but she has her own "issues".

[Rachelreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite writers are the ones that I can count on to provide me with "stop and ponder" moments in whatever book they write. I can now happily add Jean Stringham to that list. Her debut novel "The Hoarders" is a deeply affecting story of two brothers who do what they must to survive in a world filled with instability and undependable caretakers. This is sad of course, but the courage and commitment of Cheyenne, the oldest, to care for his younger brother and their aunt and step up and BE the caretaker, is heartening to behold. But beyond the praiseworthy merits of the story itself, I truly relished the moments of description and observation that resonated in me. They caused me to literally stop reading and just savor them for the human truth depicted therein. Here is an example: "Momma smiled at him and gave him a hug. I like watching them together. When I'm in the middle of the hugging, it's hard for me to keep a balance on things. How I feel seems to tip and blur and get confused. But when I watch Momma and Joaquin together, it's like I know how to feel her kind of love." This is great writing!

[Geebowie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It took me awhile to get into it at first. However when I did I really enjoyed it. The book tells the story of two brothers Cheyenne and Joaquin, who sometimes have to hoard food. when they were younger the lived with the mother who sometimes got so involved with her boyfriends that she would forgot to provide food for them. even when the lives got better Cheyenne continues to do this because he never knows what might happen. This was a very interesting book the kind that you want to keep reading and are sad when its over. The one plot point I found a bit unbelievable is that When "Dead Uncle Dick" comes back at the end it takes until the boys accidentally say who they are that he figures out they are his nephews. Would he realize it right away? how may boys of that age where wandering around on their own. Aslo At times the voice of Cheyenne seemed to old for Ten years old i know he had been through alot and it made he more mature but sometimes he seemed just to wise. other then those minor complaints if they can be called that great book.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly picked this book while looking online for another book. I had no idea what it was about. I didn't realize this was a teen book. It was such a good and sad book. Two brothers had a really rough life. Their mother walked out on them and left them with the Aunt. The rest of family supported the aunt for awhile and then gave up. The aunt left them a weird message and they were forced to fend for themselves. It was heart breaking to read about their struggles for food and shelter. To not know who to trust and try to survive. They no longer went to school and lived in an abandoned van. They finally found the aunt but things were different. They got her out of the hospital and went to the one place they knew. They met knew people and tried to keep all their secrets. The end was great. It was so good to read a happy ending to the otherwise horrible life the two boys had to endure. I loved that the aunt hugged the guy and he would not let go. Awesome. Not just a book for teens. A great book for anyone

[Linnae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheyenne knows that its up to him to take care of his little brother, Joaquin, because his Mama just doesn't have it in her to do it properly. So he has a secret food stash, just in case it's been a couple of weeks between grocery runs.

Fortunately the boys are part of a large and mostly loving extended family who helps when they can. Then one day Mama leaves them, and their Aunt Amy's checks aren't going to be enough to cover all the bills. They move to the lakehouse to help take care of Grandma, who has dementia, and things are okay for awhile. But life doesn't let them rest for long before even bigger and harder things come along.
Cheyenne knows that he will do whatever it takes to take care of his little brother and Aunt Amy. Even if it seems impossible, he will find a way.

Poignant and real. I wanted to take these boys home with me! I was glad for a hopeful ending.

[Renee Crook · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting story! It definitely makes me extremely grateful for the food that I have to eat. It also makes me more appreciative of having the skill to cook for my family in a way that can be nutritious. This was a hard book to read because it was dealing with two very young boys, but it certainly changed my perspective a bit. As a teacher, it makes me realize how much can slip under the radar and go unnoticed. As a parent, I wanted to reach into the book and grab the two boys and raise them in my own home. These boys were way too grown up for their real age and were independent for a majority of their formative years as children. Very touching book that raised my awareness of how much food can mean and how prominent of an issue hunger really can be.

[Hannah Beesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for so many reasons. Joaquin and Cheyenne are the type of children you can't help but feel drawn to. Many times I found myself teary eyed at the struggles they were faced with and the all too soon adult-topiced conversations they're forced to have. But just as many times I found myself chuckling at the innocence of their observations of an adult world. I also loved this book because there is a special innoncence that these characters are able to maintain despite the situation with which they're faced. Before too long I found that both boys had found a place in my heart and that I would remember them long after I finished the book.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book about a boy and his brother who have to survive living with a Mother who is a hoarder----one who probably shouldn't be raising children. The children know this, and seem to make sure that all seems normal in their lives, no matter what. This was reminiscent of the novel, The Glass Castle, but on a milder level. This is written more as a teen book, or perhaps a childrens book, so the writing is simple, and the story is simple, and even though we feel for the boys, it does not pack the wallop of the aforementioned novel. It was a quick read, and a good story, and I would recommend it, but would have probably given it a 3 1/2 stars....

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

all in all I actually liked this book. It is a very quick, easy read, definitely intended for a younger crowd, but still enjoyable by an older one as well. My only problem with this book is that I felt like there was a fantastic story going on and just about the time when you really get connected and can't wait to find out what happens to the boys it wrapped everything up in a nice bow and ended. I guess I wanted more detail, more story.... did their aunt get better, does their mom come back??? IF it is going to be a series of stories (like I read in another review) then I will for sure be picking up the next one to find out what happens to this interesting family.

[Penny Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the characters genuine, the plot reasonable, the dialogue interesting and sometimes funny. "The Hoarders" grabbed me with its twin issues of hunger and abandonmentfor a couple of brothers. Coping with a world that is falling apart by using intelligence and determination, these boys enlist the reader's concern without sentimentality or "poor me" complaining. Faced with a dilemma an adult would have trouble with, the boys somehow cope, and very well, with circumstances. I just gobbled the book up because I was so involved with it I had to find out what happened!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting. It was written from a child's perspective for a younger audience, so it has a little bit of a different feel to it. It was hard to read what these two boys had to do to ensure they had full bellies, but it was stated so matter-of-factly and simply because it was their reality. I laughed sometimes with Cheyenne's view of the world but was also impressed with his street smarts. Most of all, I liked the end of the book. I thought it was a great way to finish it up.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheyenne and Juaquin are hiding out. The two young brothers learned early to hoard their food, because all too often there wasn't any except what they had stashed in their backpacks. But now things were especially bad because their mom had disappeared and something was wrong with Aunt Amy.

I enjoyed this book for young adults. It reads easily and I really liked the writing. I started reading it while I was already halfway done with another book, but couldn't put it down until I finished it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this book to Jake to read who didn't want to finish it, then to Carly who also didn't want to finish it. I then read it and wow! This is a book to have your children read when they are being totally ungrateful for all they have. The book was written well but it was not a feel good book at all. It ended fine but the whole story was really sad.

[Maya Cornaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am 10 years old, the same age as Cheyenne. Once you start this book it is hard to put it down. This book is one of the best books I have ever read. It will make you very grateful for everything you have. Cheyenne and Joaquin have to work together to survive. The author shows how important teamwork is. Thanks for writing an awesome book.

[Tom Ricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jean has an excellent story-telling style that captures a young voice. I was emotionally involved with out even trying! The characters are believable and I loved the "summer in the cabin" section. Very believable and all around well done.

[Ali O'Hara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tough one for me to rate. I thought the writing was superb. Its a fairly simple story, and I wasn't sure if it was a young adult book or not, and even after reading it, I'm not sure. But the world the author creates for these kids is very interesting and believable.

[Michael Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is heartbreaking to read what two boys must do to insure they have something to eat. This book is written for young readers but it appeals to adults as well. You can't help but feel for the two young boys and root for them to prevail over their dire circumstances.

[Shersta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't help it - I LOVED this little book. I was completely charmed by Jean's young protagonist and her strange but compelling world where little boys can slip through the cracks of a supposedly civilized society.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to read this story about two young brothers who face a series of challenges in their lives and cope by hoarding food. Ultimately, I was wildly disappointed. A quick read - I think I finished it in less than an hour.

[Kalee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I love books like this, I also don't like that they make me feel a little depressed that there are people/kids who live like this. I like to think that everyone in the world is relatively happy (I know how ridiculous that sounds, but it helps me sleep without worrying about everyone).

[John Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author really knows how to tell a story. Great characters, a tragic story told in a humorous way. A very good book.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was really YA. There wasn't any amazing writing, but I thought the characters were good and it did make me think a lot. Easy quick read.

[Daryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book all the way through. It kept me wondering what was going to happen next to these two boys

[Angie Workman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly heartbreaking. The author did a great job writing vivid scenes and realistic characters. I was completely engaged in the story and emotionally involved with the characters.