The Reappearance of Sam Webber

by Jonathon Scott Fuqua

The protagonist, eleven-year-old Sam Webber, has been called "Little Sam" his whole life. But now Big Sam has disappeared, perhaps for good. Without his dad, Little Sam is just plain "Samuel"—and lonely. When he and his mom have to move from their comfortable Baltimore home to a rough inner-city neighborhood, he has plenty to be afraid of: the depression that seems to be engulfing his mother, the taunts of a middle-school bully, his own grief, and bouts of nausea and hyperventilation. But when Greely, the janitor at his school, strikes up an unlikely friendship, Sam begins to see his life—like the varied row houses of his new neighborhood—in a gentler light. Will a surer, stronger Sam Webber emerge from the shadows?

Genres: Fiction, Adult

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1999

About the author

Jonathon Scott Fuqua has written the highly praised and Alex Award-winning novel, The Reappearance of Sam Webber, as well as the critically acclaimed and recently published book, Gone and Back Again.

He is also the author of three much lauded, award-winning young adult novels: King of the Pygmies, DARBY, and The Willoughby Spit Wonder.

For teenagers and adults, he penned a groundbreaking graphic novel, In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe. All of his published books are available nationally and internationally.

Most recently, Fuqua published his children's book, Calvert The Raven in the Battle of Baltimore. The first installment in his Flying Through History Series, the book commemorates the Battle of Baltimore in the war of 1812, which led to the retreat of the British Armada and inspired the United States national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Fuqua has received two Maryland State Arts Council Awards for fiction writing, and is the writer-in-residence at the Carver Center for the Arts. Both his writings and paintings have appeared in newspapers, magazines, books, on book covers, posters, limited edition prints, postcards, and stationery. A teacher of fiction writing, literature, and art, he lives in Baltimore with his wife and daughter.

Reviews

[Holli · Rating 3 out of 5]

One year in the life of 11 year old Sam Webber who’s father has just deserted the family and he and his mom have to move to a rough part of Baltimore where rents are cheaper. The struggles Sam has as he tries to adjust to a new school where he is bullied and life without his dad. Mom struggles with depression, he befriends a 70something year old black man named Greeley and his mom’s boss Junie and her husband Ditch become important friends. Felt like the book didn’t really go anywhere and the kid’s character was inconsistent throughout.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books about social conscience. This is a great book about acceptance of others, of your situation, and the fact that sometimes what you have is actually better than you first thought. I think this would be a great book for teens.

[Suzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Sam's story. It read as an autobiography (very believable writing).

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent (and may well be the premier) book on Baltimore’s Charles Village and Greenmount neighborhoods, with some Hamden and others areas thrown in. Having lived two blocks from the characters’ house one of my years of college, almost all of the locations in the book came perfectly to life. It was interesting learning some bits of recent history, like that Union Memorial used to be called Charles Village Memorial Hospital.

One of the reviewers points out that the book doesn’t really go anywhere. This is true in a way, but it’s not a plot driven book. And that the main character is inconsistent, which may also be true to an extent (not sure how much) but: 1. He’s a character and 2. He’s a kid. People, and perhaps kids especially, are inconsistent.

I think the main character, really all the characters, are really well developed. Some of the ancillary ones could have been more, but they are ancillary after all.

Only negative was that there were a two or three brief portions (like a paragraph or two, or less) that were quite forced. They mostly had to do with forced references to race issues and history. Not to say that the book shouldn’t have included discussion of race: there are a dozen or so sections where it is worked in seamlessly and effectively. But there’s one spot where the character makes a rather abrupt reference to the civil rights movement that feels very forced. One or two other very brief moments like that.

A truly excellent “Baltimore” book. Not sure if one who doesn’t know the city will really be able to appreciate it, though.

[Domo Chávez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a book that made me feel a certain feeling of nostalgia. I may not relate to Sam all the way, but every time I think of Sam I think of myself and how me when I was younger of things that took place in my life. All the characters in the book I loved, even if they may not had the best views of people and life. This book brought me back to my very young years. This is one of my top five favorite book as if currently.

[James Zimmeeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I ever read

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing enough little book.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Naperville White House is a world built around one man's fantasy. As he is President of the United States (POTUS) and runs a very real and somewhat stable government, he faces the very challenges that the actual POTUS faces and comes to understand just what it takes to run a nation and its very large and very real government. It brings the government into our homes, as a game, as a pseudo-reality, and forces us to realize just what kind of man or woman it takes to make such heavy and serious decisions to ensure our government and nation ensure.

When a terrible event in the real world occurs, it is not the real government that brings up a solution but a fantasy government that does. This government is comprised of many people, yet they are ordinary citizens playing a fantasy RPG (role-playing game).

I truly liked this book because it shows how one man's decisions can change the world, from the Average Joe's perspective. It's a high fantasy world where the Average Joe rules. It's a Role Playing Game (RPG) where real people, using avatars, decide the course and fate of a nation, both at home and in the international stage. Now, it's not just like World of Warcraft, where you compete to finish all the levels by use of brute strength and strategy, but is also a dash of the Sims. However, you'll have to add a huge helping of 'real' politics, a governmental system, and international relations.

Some other things I enjoyed were the players' relations to everyone else, how they interacted and how they came together in a time of crisis. I also enjoyed the citizens learning about the government and how navigating the political waters is not as easy as it looks on the TV evening news or in the newspapers. Even classrooms don't prepare for the reality.

I'd recommend this book if you'd like to read how ordinary citizens learn what the political world is about and how the government operates as it is shaped by their hands.

[Cynthia Bleskachek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, I wanted so much to love this book. It was okay. I did not love it.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up. It didn't hold my interest and there are too many books on my list that I want to read.