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Someone to Count On
Whenever things get a little difficult, Sam's Mom is ready to pick up and move to another strange town, but Sam is longing for a permanent home and someone to count on--and unexpectedly finds it in her grandfather. Reprint
- GenresFiction
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 14, 2019
Sam reminded me of a dozen students I have had before. My heart hurts for those kids, how great to have relatable books. Elizabeth was predictable.
For me the plot was a little thin but the themes of family, community, friendship, the environment, etc. were all solid throughout. Not as much depth to the relationships as the adult reader expects but an upper elementary student would likely find them satisfactory.
Some reviewers thought the ending was a surprise. Based on the character development Hermes provided it ended exactly as I expected.
Finding someone to count on matters. BEING someone to count on is even more important.
A good little, quick read.
For me the plot was a little thin but the themes of family, community, friendship, the environment, etc. were all solid throughout. Not as much depth to the relationships as the adult reader expects but an upper elementary student would likely find them satisfactory.
Some reviewers thought the ending was a surprise. Based on the character development Hermes provided it ended exactly as I expected.
Finding someone to count on matters. BEING someone to count on is even more important.
A good little, quick read.
August 28, 2024
Nice story about a girl (Sam) and her flighty mom (Elizabeth) that visit her grandfather's ranch out west. The girl doesn't know whether she'll stay at the ranch or not (with or without her mom). The story is narrated by Sam. Elizabeth disappears for a large portion of the story, attending a nearby art school, leaving Sam to interact with her grandfather, his wife, and a local kid that lives at the ranch. I understand a lot of readers probably won't like the ending, but I understand what the author was going for.
October 26, 2017
Well written, and moving.
The ending feels wrong. It's not just that it was unexpected, though it is that. It's also that literally the whole book points the other direction. Granted, it made me cry, so maybe that's the point, but it feels like a bit of a cheap shot. Aside from that objection it is a solid book.
The ending feels wrong. It's not just that it was unexpected, though it is that. It's also that literally the whole book points the other direction. Granted, it made me cry, so maybe that's the point, but it feels like a bit of a cheap shot. Aside from that objection it is a solid book.
July 20, 2020
It was a lovely story, I enjoyed it. But that ending was wrong, very wrong, I expected something way better and lots more heartfelt/heartwarming.
December 31, 2023
I have been looking for this book FOREVER; I could only recall small parts of it after it was read aloud to my 3rd grade class back in the 90s, and I Google-searched those details for years and years to no avail before putting them in a book-locating group on Goodreads a few weeks ago. After a few days, at long last, thanks to a special group member on there, it was identified, so I promptly went to eBay to purchase it…and then read it in two days 😂
My summary: 11-year old Sam has never had a home of her own; her mother, Elizabeth, totes her around, constantly uprooting them whenever she gets “bored” with a job or hobby. When they get the opportunity to visit Sam’s grandfather on his ranch in Colorado—someone Sam has never met before—she dreams about living there, about putting down roots, about belonging somewhere and staying there for good. Through this Rocky Mountain adventure, Sam will learn that finding someone to count on in life is important, but learning how to BECOME someone to count on matters even more.
I enjoyed reading this early elementary-level novel as an adult almost as much as I did when I was 8. I think a lot of us us have that “lonely, pre-brooding, book-loving, horse girl” inside of us that never felt fully understood by our parents, and this book validates those feelings. It is also just a really fun read, especially if you dreamed about animals and/or a sense of “home” or “freedom” at a really young age.
Why 4 Stars? I probably gave this book a higher rating purely for the nostalgic aspect of it. It is a well-written book for early elementary kids, though. Is there a lot of character development? No, but it’s still there. Is it written on a 4-6th grade reading level? Yes, but who cares? Are there horses involved? YES. Why do you think I loved it so much as a kid? I love this book for what it is, and I’m not ashamed to say so. I’ll read it again too! 😤🐴❤️
My summary: 11-year old Sam has never had a home of her own; her mother, Elizabeth, totes her around, constantly uprooting them whenever she gets “bored” with a job or hobby. When they get the opportunity to visit Sam’s grandfather on his ranch in Colorado—someone Sam has never met before—she dreams about living there, about putting down roots, about belonging somewhere and staying there for good. Through this Rocky Mountain adventure, Sam will learn that finding someone to count on in life is important, but learning how to BECOME someone to count on matters even more.
I enjoyed reading this early elementary-level novel as an adult almost as much as I did when I was 8. I think a lot of us us have that “lonely, pre-brooding, book-loving, horse girl” inside of us that never felt fully understood by our parents, and this book validates those feelings. It is also just a really fun read, especially if you dreamed about animals and/or a sense of “home” or “freedom” at a really young age.
Why 4 Stars? I probably gave this book a higher rating purely for the nostalgic aspect of it. It is a well-written book for early elementary kids, though. Is there a lot of character development? No, but it’s still there. Is it written on a 4-6th grade reading level? Yes, but who cares? Are there horses involved? YES. Why do you think I loved it so much as a kid? I love this book for what it is, and I’m not ashamed to say so. I’ll read it again too! 😤🐴❤️
April 9, 2015
A childhood favorite. It makes me cry every time.
March 10, 2023
Poor Sam. Sort of makes you wonder what goes on exactly in Elizabeth's head...
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October 8, 2007Hermes, Patricia PB
February 1, 2011
Slow at first but if you keep read this book has a great ending.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews