There's Something About Sam

by Hannah Barnaby, Anne Wilsdorf (Illustrator)

Overview

Despite his initial hesitation to invite the new kid, Sam, to his sleepover birthday party, Max quickly discovers that what makes us different makes us special, and new friends can come in all shapes, sizes, and species . . . Perfect as a birthday gift, and for fans of Vampirina Ballerina and Crankenstein. 

There’s something strange about the new kid, Sam—though Max can’t quite put his finger on it. But EVERYONE else in his class is invited to Max's birthday sleepover, so his mom invites Sam too.

Sam is just as strange at the party as he is at school: he's wary of the full moon, prefers his hamburgers rare, and can’t help but bite the other kids during an innocent game of Twister. But despite his initial hesitation, Max discovers that what makes us different is actually what makes us special, and that new friends can come in all shapes, sizes, and species . . .

This charming and pitch-perfect story will teach young readers all about the excitement of making new friends, and learning from our differences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328766809
Publisher:	HMH Books
Publication date:	07/14/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	797,517
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.50(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD480L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Hannah Barnaby has worked as a children's book editor, a bookseller and a writing instructor. Hannah was the first writer to earn the Children’s Writer in Residency at the Boston Public Library. Visit Hannah at hannahbarnaby.com, on Twitter@HannahRBarnaby and on  Instagram@hannahbarnaby. 

Anne Wilsdorf has illustrated over 20 books for children, including the Ezra Jack Keats honor book, Sophie's Squash. She was the Swiss candidate for the prestigious Andersen Prize in 2000 and currently teaches illustration at l'Ecole Romande des Arts de la Communication in Lousanne. 
 

Editorial Reviews

08/17/2020

Barnaby’s gently rhythmic picture book imparts the importance of open-mindedness and inclusion in a clever, supernatural-tinged tale. When blond third grader Max hosts a birthday sleepover and invites all the boys in his class, he almost doesn’t include the new kid, Sam—“there’s something different about him.” At his mother’s urging, however, Max extends the invitation, and the pale, wild-haired Sam ends up attending, even though “There’s a full moon that night.” As the evening progresses, Max’s suspicions about this particular guest, who loves rare burgers and sprouts hair on his hands, begin to be confirmed, and the third act brings a welcome, generous twist. Delicately lined ink illustrations, supplemented by gradient watercolor washes, are reminiscent of classic picture books; Wilsdorf’s emphasis on movement adds to the art’s engaging quality. An endorsement of moving past uncertain first impressions—and accepting people despite, or because of, their idiosyncrasies. Ages 4–7. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"Barnaby’s text hits just the right notes, from Max’s initial uneasiness about Sam to his joyful acceptance of his friend’s differences....Good fun." —Booklist 

"Delicately lined ink illustrations, supplemented by gradient watercolor washes, are reminiscent of classic picture books....An endorsement of moving past uncertain first impressions—and accepting people despite, or because of, their idiosyncrasies."—Publishers Weekly 

"Some well-written, lightweight fun with a little deductive reasoning thrown in. Recommended for large collections."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

06/01/2020

K-Gr 2— When Max is told he has to invite all the boys in his class to his birthday party, he balks at asking Sam, a new kid with something a little different about him. As the days to the party approach, Max learns many of Sam's charms and notices that his other friends are also starting to appreciate Sam. But the clues to just how unusual Sam is keep adding up. There's the full moon, and the rare hamburger, and finally, a hairy, clawed hand. Yup—Sam is a werewolf. With a nod to Maurice Sendak, the group joins in for a wild rumpus until late in the night, and when the sleepover ends, friendships are solidified. VERDICT Some well-written, lightweight fun with a little deductive reasoning thrown in. Recommended for large collections.—Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter Sch., Providence

School Library Journal

2020-03-15
The birthday boy accidentally invites a werewolf to his sleepover.

At first, Max doesn’t want to invite new kid Sam to spend the night along with his other friends. “There’s something different about him,” he argues, but his mom counters that “that’s no reason to leave him out.” The third grader conveys his concerns to his other friends, but they seem to like the weirdo—apparently he “can run really fast,” says Michael (similarly initially left off Max’s guest list for nose-picking), and Elliott enthuses that he “always knows what’s cooking in the cafeteria way before lunchtime.” Sam himself seems hesitant, his hair standing on end as he says “I’m not sure I can…there’s a full moon that night.” But Sam decides to show up after all, and during the course of the sleepover he and his oddities start to grow on Max. Before long it’s revealed that the rare-meat–loving, hairy boy who’s inclined to bite is, in fact, a werewolf. The beastly reveal at the end is fun, but the journey there is bogged down by confusing transitions between scenes and awkward sentences. All the characters, including the protagonists, are awfully bland, and their somewhat interchangeable names make it hard to distinguish between them. The illustrations are unfortunately drab for such a lively concept. Max, his mother, and all his guests save Jeremy, who presents black, seem to be white.

It’s got a werewolf, but it’s bloodless. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews

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