Sam wants his own cell phone so he can do research, text friends, and take pictures. But he’s only in second grade and his parents refuse to buy him one. Sam thinks about what a cell phone does and decides he can use mini notepads to accomplish (sort of) the same thing. Sam’s plans and ingenuity, plus the threat of a 5th grade bully, make a compelling storyline for newly fluent readers. Sam is a likable, thoughtful kid, if rather exceptional (no second graders I know could match Sam in intelligence and creativity). ( )