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    The Children's Book Review

    Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan | Book Review

    Elizabeth VaradanBy Elizabeth Varadan3 Mins Read Ages 9-12 Best Kids Stories Books with Girl Characters Chapter Books
    Counting By 7s Cover
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    Elizabeth Varadan | The Children’s Book Review | October 6, 2015

    Counting By 7s CoverCounting by 7s

    Written by Holly Goldberg Sloan

    Age Range:  10 and up

    Paperback: 384 pages

    Publisher: Dial (2014 Reprint)

    ISBN-13: 978-0142422861

    What to Expect: Quirky characters, unusual plot twists, a satisfying resolution to an initially tragic situation.

    Willow Chance is adopted. Her parents love her intensely for who she is. In Kindergarten, tests confirm she is gifted. But when a teacher gives her class a standardized test the first week of middle school and Willow scores 100 percent, she is sent to the principal’s office for cheating. In turn, the principal assigns Willow to attend sessions with a behavioral counselor, Dell Duke, whose office is in a different set of buildings.

    In the early pages, I wasn’t keen on this story. The principal’s easy assumption of cheating (despite records showing Willow was gifted) was jarring. Dell Duke’s counseling system and dislike of kids were hard to believe, considering his profession. To this reader, both seemed contrived in order for the rest of the story to unfold.

    When Willow meets Mai Nguyen, whose younger brother, Quang-ha, attends sessions, they become friends. Then Willow’s parents are killed in an auto accident. Because Willow has no known relatives, she is assigned temporarily to Dell Duke while social agencies look for a foster situation. But Mai takes things into her own hands, and this is when the story takes a charming turn. I don’t want to give spoilers. I’ll just say that from this point on, I was hooked.

    The characters of Mai, Quang-ha, and their mother, Pattie, who has a nail salon, are endearingly portrayed. Willow is always interesting, and the author does a good job of showing how misunderstood she is because of her genius view of life (which includes wry humor). Dell develops into a decent human being, and the series of events that bring this about are truly funny.

    This book will appeal to middle grade readers who are dealing with loss or coping with being “different” in some way from their peers.

     

    Add this book to your collection: Counting by 7s

    Available Here: 

    Text, logoBuy on Amazon

    About the Author

    Holly Goldberg Sloan, the acclaimed author of I’ll Be There, has worked as an advertising copywriter and a writer and director of feature films. She lives in Santa Monica, California.

    Visit: HollyGoldbergSloan.com

    Counting by 7s, written by Holly Goldberg Sloan, was reviewed by Elizabeth Varadan. Discover more books like Counting by 7s by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Middle Grade Books.

     

    What to Read Next:

    1. Best Children’s Books of 2009 … Beyond the Half-Way Mark
    2. Savvy, by Ingrid Law | Book Review
    3. Books About Girls | Five Family Favorites with Claudia Mills
    4. Best Kids Books of 2013

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Holly Goldberg Sloan
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    Elizabeth Varadan
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    Elizabeth Varadan writes for children and adults. Her middle-grade mystery, Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls (published June 15, 2015), is set in Victorian London and she is currently working on Book Two. Varadan loves to read and write about the Victorian Era and blogs about the many things she uncovers in her research. Visit: elizabethvaradansfourthwish.blogspot.com and victorianscribbles.blogspot.com

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