Counting by 7’s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

You’ll instantly fall in love with the bright, quirky, eccentric Willow Chance who narrates Counting by 7’s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.  Willow is a “highly gifted” 12-year-old girl who loves plants, gardening, diagnosing ailments of family, friends, and strangers, and of course, counting by 7’s.  Her oddball behavior and passage of the standardized school exams in record time earns her a behavioral counseling referral, which leads her to meet counselor, Dell Duke, and friends Mai and Quang-Ha.  Sadly, Willow’s parents die in a tragic car accident, and Willow is left without a family or home.  The story unfolds with a well-developed cast of characters that come to accept and appreciate loveable Willow and help her find a place to call home.

Although Sloan paints a relatively simple story line, it’s her unique writing style that keeps the reader engaged and turning pages.  Sloan alternates between writing in the first person from Willow’s perspective, and then steps back to write in a third person narrative to portray more details from the scene.  The reader gets to know Willow’s heart and emotions, written in an authentic, teenage voice as well as the other unique characters in the story.  A great read for the upper grade/middle school student or even interested adult – tackling themes of acceptance, compassion, and friendship.  Highly recommended!

- Janine Tong Marcoux