Attaboy, Sam!

Well, once I start something, I may as well finish it. This is a worthy sequel to All About Sam. It's a bit more focused than the last, but then again four/five year olds are more focused than, say, infants.

I wonder if families read these aloud together? My library copy of this is pretty worn out, but who is reading it? The experts' assumption is that children "read up" but this must be for at least age 8 , much older than Sam. I bet the experts are wrong... I bet this has a universal appeal.

Sam's mother has asked for only homemade gifts for her birthday. When Sam hears that her favorite perfume has been discontinued, Sam decides to invent a perfume with all her favorite smells. Sams adventures are believable and humorous. The story also has a comforting warmth. Lowry is a truly versatile author. Her excellence in historical fiction and fantasy won her two Newberys. While this work does not equal Number the Stars or The Giver in greatness, it is a great example of contemporary realistic fiction for young readers. The story is not a necessary addition to collections, but would find a welcome home there. Additionally, this could be a fun read aloud for primary grades.

Cute but far more contrived than the Anastasia books. Sam's voice is pretty authentic, however, and I do like his mom.

In the second book of the Sam Krupnik series, Sam tries to make his mother a birthday present, with disastrous results. Young people will be entertained by the antics of Sam. Older readers will admire the author's ability to write in the first person with a true child's voice. This is a good book to read to kids at bedtime.

Sam loves to create things and receive praise. With his mother's birthday quickly approaching, he decides, since she asked for only homemade gifts, to make her perfume (since her perfume got discontinued). He develops a concoction of her favorite scents such as his dad's smoke smell. He creates this quirky mixture of scents in his room. This story is adorable and shows the innocence of a young boy. This book would be perfect for first or second graders.

Sam Krupnik is the little brother of Anastasia, who has her own series of books by Lois Lowry. "Attaboy, Sam!" is geared toward a younger audience -- beginning chapter readers. Lowry writes simply and humorously from the perspective of a five-year-old boy. The story is about Sam's plan to make perfume for his Mom's birthday present, because Mrs. Krupnik wants all homemade gifts. Sam collects all his mother's favorite smells and mixes them together in the secrecy of his room. Read to find out what Mrs. Krupnik thinks of her gift! This book is a good addition to an elementary school library or a public library children's collection.