Sam by Allegra Goodman

SAM by Allegra Goodman is a coming of age story about a young girl who loves competitive climbing and this title should have wide appeal, evidenced in part by its selection as a Read with Jenna book (see more on Jenna Bush Hager’s influence). The story share events in Sam’s life for over a dozen years from the age of seven when she innocently adored her father, an unreliable parent who is in and out of Sam’s life. Her mother, Courtney, is forever preaching about hard work and importance of security. Goodman builds on these relationships (plus with Sam’s classmates and her brother, Noah) to introduce ideas about parenting, social class, addiction, and self-worth, all told in Sam’s gradually maturing voice. Goodman excels at evoking emotions as the story arcs from innocence to a rather bleak reflection of a sexually predatory relationship to an ultimately hopeful resolution fueled by Sam’s determination and perseverance. High school students and adults will relate to this character and those who care about her as Goodman quietly shares wisdom like “choose joy” or this interaction when Sam questions her Mom: “’How do you know what to do?’ ‘I don’t always know.’ ‘Yes, you do.’ ‘Yeah, that’s how you can tell you’re an adult,’ her mom says. ‘People start thinking you know what you are doing.’” 

Added this review in the Wall Street Journal by Meghan Cox Gurdon where she says, “Ms. Goodman has turned simplicity itself into a powerful tool for evoking how it feels to be young.”