My Father's Son

Fields, Terry. My Father's Son. Roaring Brook Press, 2008. ISBN-10: 1-59643-349-3


Plot Summary
One day, Kevin turns on the TV and sees his father's face on the news. They've arrested Kevin's father and accused him of being the DB25 serial killer. Kevin thinks back to his life with his father and can't imagine his father as a killer. His mother also seems surprised, even though she isn't fond of her ex-husband. Kevin is worried, upset and feels out of the loop. Kevin learns that his parent's divorce wasn't as amicable as he had thought, and even stranger Kevin's paternal grandparents aren't dead. At first, Kevin was positive that his Dad was innocent but the longer his Dad is in jail, the less sure he feels.


Critical evaluation
My Father's Son is not the story of Kevin's father, who stands accused of murder. Instead, the story focuses on Kevin and his changing perception of his father. At first, Kevin thinks his father is the greatest- they play video games and his dad doesn't bug him about school. Then, he begins to learn about another side of his father- about his parents' courtship and their divorce. Although things are not as bad as the media would make it seem, Kevin learns that his father is more complicated than he thought. Despite the sensational setting, Fields' story will resonate with all readers who must come to terms with seeing their parents as individuals.

Readers Annotations
No matter what Kevin does, no matter how much he tries to distance himself from his dad, he is his father's son. The face on the TV of the accused serial killer, Kevin's dad, could be Kevin's face. And he has to live with that face.

Information About the Author
Terri Fields is the author of more than seventeen books for young adults. She is also a teacher and writing consultant. She lives with her husband in Arizona.

Genre
Realistic fiction

Curriculum Ties


Booktalking Ideas


Reading Level/Interest Age
Grade 8-10

Controversial Subject Matter and Defense of Ideas
Possible objections:  Kevin's dad is accused of being a serial killer, and the crimes are briefly described. The killer targets women and tortures them before he kills them.

Defense of ideas: The purpose of Fields' story is to describe the feelings and reactions of Kevin. In order to understand the depth of his concern, the reader must know what the accusations are. References to violence are brief and are no more than is necessary for the sake of the story.

Why Book Included
Appeared on a list of recommended books for 7th and 8th graders compiled by librarians at the Sacramento Public Library