Keeper of the Doves facts for kids
Keeper of the Doves is a children's novel written by Betsy Byars. It was published in 2002. The story takes place in Kentucky around the year 1900.
The book tells the story of a young girl named Amen McBee. It shows her journey as she learns about herself and her family. She also discovers how powerful words can be, for both good and bad. Each chapter of the book starts with a different letter of the alphabet, showing Amen's love for words.
Story Summary
Amen McBee is born in 1891. She is the sixth daughter in a wealthy family. Even though she is the sixth girl, she grows up feeling loved by her family.
Her twin sisters, Arabella and Annabella, teach her to be brave and funny. Her older sisters, Augusta and Abigail, show her how to be kind. Amen's father is strict but caring. Her mother is kind but often unwell. Amen also lives with her father's sister, who is quite strict.
Amen's grandmother, who is very modern, visits and brings cameras. She arrives when Amen's mother is expecting another baby. A son is finally born, which the family had hoped for.
Amen also learns about some secret parts of her family's past. This includes the sad story of a baby sister who passed away. She also learns about a mysterious man named Mr. Tominski. He lives alone on their land and takes care of trained doves. He might have saved her father's life when he was young. But now, the children are scared of him. A simple misunderstanding involving words leads to a sad event that changes Amen's family forever. After these events, Amen starts to write poems.
