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Summary
Summary
Sam is almost 11 when he discovers a locked box in the attic above his grandfather Mack's room, and a piece of paper that says he was kidnapped. There are lots of other words, but Sam has always had trouble reading. He's desperate to find out who he is, and if his beloved Mack is really his grandfather. At night he's haunted by dreams of a big castle and a terrifying escape on a boat. Who can he trust to help him read the documents that could unravel the mystery? Then he and the new girl, Caroline, are paired up to work on a school project, building a castle in Mack's woodworking shop. Caroline loves to read, and she can help. But she's moving soon, and the two must hurry to discover the truth about Sam.
Author Notes
Patricia Reilly Giff was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 26, 1935. She knew she wanted to be a writer, even as a little girl. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Marymount College, a Master's of Arts from St. John's University, and a Professional Diploma in Reading and a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Hofstra University.
After she graduated from college, she taught in the public schools in New York City until 1960 and then in the public schools in Elmont, New York from 1964 until 1971. She then became a reading consultant before finally, at the age of 40, deciding to write a book. She also worked as an educational consultant for Dell Yearling and Young Yearling Books and as an advisor and instructor to aspiring writers. Her first book, Today Was a Terrible Day, was published in 1980. She is the author of more than 100 children's books, as well as a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers.
Together with her husband, Giff opened "The Dinosaur's Paw," a children's bookstore named after one of her own stories. She is the author of the Polk Street School books. Lily's Crossing, about the homefront during World War II, was named a Newberry Honor Book by the American Library Association as well as an ALA Notable Book for Children. The novel also won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor. Her companion book to Lily's Crossing, Genevieve's War, won a 2018 Christopher Award. Pictures of Hollis Woods was also named a Newberry Honor Book and Nory Ryan's Song was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Patricia Reilly Giff died on June 22, 2021. She was 86.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-7-Sam is haunted by the symbolism of the number "11." Just two straight lines he reasons-could be a number of a street address, two straight trees against the sky or, maybe, two towering spires of a castle. His upcoming 11th birthday nudges him; there's something he's forgotten. Searching the attic for hidden birthday presents, he uncovers a secret that overshadows his irrational fear of "11." A newspaper clipping reveals his three-year-old face. Sam sounds out one word, "Missing," but he can't read the other clues. Suddenly his daily frustration turns consuming. Sam is smart and creative. He's learned to compensate for his dyslexia. "Caroline New Girl" is a "reader," and when it's time to pick partners for the class project on medieval times, he chooses her. "One thing-.Don't think I'm going to be friends. I won't be here long enough," she warns. The two strike up a friendship of convenience that develops into a genuine bond of support, respect, and acceptance. But with his newfound friendship come suspicions about his loving Grandpa. Sadly, it's Grandpa's guilt over innocent mistakes that gives power to the secrets. The unraveling of Sam's mysterious past will intrigue readers. Children will appreciate the fast friendships, their caregivers' motives, and the struggles of the underdog. Sam, Caroline, and Grandpa ring true with realistically conflicting and unsettling emotions. Set in the western part of northern New York against a rich backdrop of geographic detail and cultural diversity, this novel will be thoroughly enjoyed.-Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The day before he turns 11, Sam searches the attic for hidden birthday presents and discovers more than he bargained for: a newspaper clipping showing a photograph of him as a missing child. In this exquisitely rendered story of self-discovery, Giff (Lily's Crossing) creates what she calls a "jig-saw puzzle" of a book, showing readers how Sam pieces together artifacts and his own flashbacks to find out whether Mack, the man he has lived with for as long as he can remember, really is his grandfather. Learning the truth requires research, and Sam, a special-needs student who has trouble reading, solicits help from Caroline, a new girl at school. As they embark on two projects-building a medieval castle for social studies and solving the mystery of Sam's past-they also construct a solid friendship, despite Caroline's parents' plans for another, imminent move. Although the premise echoes that of Caroline Cooney's The Face on the Milk Carton, the similarity ends there. Evoking an entirely different mood and set of circumstances, this intimate story realistically examines friendship, family secrets and the struggles of a learning-disabled child trying to make sense of the world. Given the author's expertise at developing sympathetic characters and creating a suspenseful plot, readers will find the complexity of Sam's vulnerabilities to be as intriguing as the unfolding enigma of his past. Ages 8-13. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
(Intermediate) The number eleven terrifies Sam MacKenzie, and he doesn't know why: "It was only two lines, after all. It could be a month, a day, minutes. Maybe two trees in a bare winter field." On the eve of his eleventh birthday, Sam discovers an old newspaper clipping with a photograph of him as a toddler. The picture triggers painful memories, somehow linked to that awful number. Sam knows the article could tell him more; the trouble is, Sam can't read. He strains to make out the words missing and Sam Bell. Was he Sam Bell? Was he missing? Sam isn't sure he can trust his grandfather anymore (yes, they both love woodworking, but are they really related?), so he enlists Caroline, a new classmate -- and an avid reader -- to help him. A bond soon forms between the young carpenter who can read wood but not words and the new girl who buries her nose in books rather than making friends. Giff's empathy and affection for these two characters is palpable, and her prose, spare yet descriptive, is compelling. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
This psychological mystery explores a child's deepest genetic need for belonging. Sam has darkly unfathomable dreams and vague memories: a cat, a boat, a storm, a bold castle, a mean woman, the number 11. As he turns 11, questioning his own identity, these dreams and memories drive him to take devious, even dangerous, risks to uncover the truth. His sleuthing is thwarted by his inability to read--literally--the clues he finds in concealed papers and on the Internet. He is joined in his search by Caroline, another seeker, who reads voraciously but is never in one school long enough to achieve acceptance. Together the two form a friendship, building a castle as a classroom project and exposing secrets that empower Sam to confront his family about his clouded history. In a satisfyingly poignant conclusion, both children stand at the threshold of inclusion and kinship. An engrossing examination of a profound theme in the deft hands of a discerning author. (Fiction. 9-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Just before his eleventh birthday, Sam finds a newspaper clipping poking out of a locked box in the attic. Below the word missing is an image of a small child, who, Sam realizes with astonishment, is himself. Although he can read wood like his carpenter grandfather, Mack, with whom he lives, Sam can't read words. He agonizes over his discovery, but he is too afraid to ask Mack for explanations. Then he befriends an eccentric new student, Caroline, and together they investigate Sam's past. How did he arrive at the place where he is being raised by Mack. Why does he dream about an icy river? The gentle, heart-tugging mystery moves slowly, allowing readers to fully sense Sam's world, where he is deeply loved, and to feel the terrifying possibility of its loss. Children growing up in unconventional families will appreciate Sam's devoted family of friends, and many readers will discover empathy and insight as Sam struggles to read words that seem to move like spiders . . . across the page.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2007 Booklist