What do you think?
Rate this book
Sam
It was a strange name for a girl, although Sam didn't think about it much until she started school—as a junior. Her father didn't believe in mixing with people, and so until then he had kept here and her brother Mark home, on the island where they lived, teaching them himself.
It was upsetting in a way, being put in with a lot of strangers whose ways were unknown, even though they lived only five minutes from the island. yet Sam longed to understand them, to find out what life in the world was really like. Her mother didn't know—she was full of old-fashioned romantic notions. But was her father right? Were people all no good? Mark thought so. And Sam's experiences with her mother's weak, gambling brother seemed to indicate that it might be true. Some of the things at school, too—social relationships between people, football games, dances, and some people's odd ideas of right and wrong—confused her.
It was a dog, Cormac, a teacher, and a half year of unexpected happenings that helped Sam find some answers to her questions.
It was upsetting in a way, being put in with a lot of strangers whose ways were unknown, even though they lived only five minutes from the island. yet Sam longed to understand them, to find out what life in the world was really like. Her mother didn't know—she was full of old-fashioned romantic notions. But was her father right? Were people all no good? Mark thought so. And Sam's experiences with her mother's weak, gambling brother seemed to indicate that it might be true. Some of the things at school, too—social relationships between people, football games, dances, and some people's odd ideas of right and wrong—confused her.
It was a dog, Cormac, a teacher, and a half year of unexpected happenings that helped Sam find some answers to her questions.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1967
9 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Corcoran
76 books45 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This is not the Shark Tank celebrity, but an author of children's books. The books are mostly realistic fiction about older children and teens who come from families that are dysfunctional or at least face interesting challenges.
Also used the pseudonym Paige Dixon and Gail Hamilton.
This is not the Shark Tank celebrity, but an author of children's books. The books are mostly realistic fiction about older children and teens who come from families that are dysfunctional or at least face interesting challenges.
Also used the pseudonym Paige Dixon and Gail Hamilton.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 10, 2018
Actually, it's about quite a bit more than the blurb reveals. There are other members of the family that are important. There's the dog, Cormac. There are classmates. There's Sam's discovery that she wants the .
Mostly quietly told. Sam does get almost killed twice in her adventures, once in town and once on the island, how *L*iterary.... But mostly concise, subtle, indirect, for the thoughtful young teen.
What's interesting is that I grew up almost as sheltered and naive as Sam, but I don't empathize with her at all. People are people... and everyone's unique.... Cliches are often almost meaningless... but they're all we've got.... This book will make you think about things like that, and lots of other things, too, if you let it.
The father tells Sam, after she's witnessed an injustice, that it's just as well she didn't speak up: "If something is wrong and it's beyond our power to change it, and we feel guilty anyway, then we may kick up a little fuss just to make ourselves feel better. It may simply cause more trouble." Is he right? Does Sam accept this advice? Read the book, think about it with the girl.
Mostly quietly told. Sam does get almost killed twice in her adventures, once in town and once on the island, how *L*iterary.... But mostly concise, subtle, indirect, for the thoughtful young teen.
What's interesting is that I grew up almost as sheltered and naive as Sam, but I don't empathize with her at all. People are people... and everyone's unique.... Cliches are often almost meaningless... but they're all we've got.... This book will make you think about things like that, and lots of other things, too, if you let it.
The father tells Sam, after she's witnessed an injustice, that it's just as well she didn't speak up: "If something is wrong and it's beyond our power to change it, and we feel guilty anyway, then we may kick up a little fuss just to make ourselves feel better. It may simply cause more trouble." Is he right? Does Sam accept this advice? Read the book, think about it with the girl.
Displaying 1 of 1 review