In my last blog post, I shared how important friendship is to Nic Nelson (and to all of us, for that matter) in Nic Nelson and the Diamonds of Denmark. When he and his mom move to New Bonn, Nic is fortunate enough to make new friends who are able help him feel at home there; and the most important of these is Kevin Becker.
In our first encounter with Kevin, he’s part of the duo that comes to Nic’s rescue from the J Gang. It is obvious from the start that Kevin is bold and just a tad pugnacious — let’s call him feisty! He is definitely the kind of friend you want to have in your corner when you find yourself in a bind. Throughout the rest of the book you see that Kevin is that kind of friend for Nic.
When he befriends Nic, he brings with him his own “gang,” of which you could say he is the leader, albeit Kevin’s gang has many positive traits that the J Gang does not possess.
As the story unfolds further, we get to see many sides of Kevin that make him endearing to everyone (although he would most likely not be happy with that description of himself).
Kevin has grown up the baby of his family with three older sisters who he takes delight in antagonizing (but never in a malicious way). When Nic visits him and spends the night for the first time, he becomes privy to the “secret” little world Kevin has created for himself as the youngest and only male child in the Becker household.
It’s apparent right from the start, through his banter with Jason (Kevin’s “mentor”), that Kevin is a tease — not in a mean, but in a fun way — and has a great sense of humor. He can take a joke or friendly prank good-naturedly, just as easily as he can dish them out. Kevin can be sweet, although usually in a mischievous way, and could probably be quite a troublemaker, if it weren’t for his truly nice nature deep inside (reminiscent of Eddie Haskell in Leave It to Beaver, if you’re old enough to remember him).
Throughout Nic Nelson and the Diamonds of Denmark, you can see how Kevin is ingenious and resourceful, game to help others (specifically Nic, Jason, and the rest of his “gang”) follow through on their plans and ideas, even if they don’t always turn out the way they envision them.
And it is very evident, throughout the challenges Nic faces in the story, that Kevin is a protective and very loyal friend, traits we all emulate and hope to find in our own friendships.
Kevin Becker is an easy character to like, and I know you’ll enjoy getting to know him throughout all the escapades encountered in Nic Nelson and the Diamonds of Denmark.