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OLDER FICTION
Ventrella, Kim

The Secret Life of Sam

272 pp. | HarperCollins/Harper | September, 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-294118-3 $16.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-294121-3 $6.99
(2) YA After his father dies, seventh grader Sam reluctantly moves to Pa's hometown in ­Oklahoma to live with his estranged aunt, Jo. He arrives at 3:45 p.m.--the time Pa's car accident occurred--and discovers a hollowed-out tree that becomes a temporary doorway, allowing Sam to briefly visit his father at that same time every day in a ­manifestation of Sam's old home in the dragonfly- and gator-filled swamps of Bayou St. George, Louisiana. A mysterious shape-shifting boy serves as Sam's guide: "I show the living what they need to see in order to let go." Except Sam doesn't want to let go, so he makes several attempts to permanently reunite with Pa. Meanwhile, the boy begins to show Sam his father's memories, revealing the truth behind Pa's larger-than-life stories and the secrets he never shared with Sam. These memories help Sam reconnect with his aunt (a veteran, amputee, and recovering drug addict who holds NA meetings at her house) and better appreciate all that he has in his new home, school, and friend Edie. Ventrella (Skeleton Tree, rev. 11/17; Bone Hollow, rev. 1/19) is no stranger to writing about family tragedy, death, grief, and loss, and she does so here frankly and compassionately. Sam's fraught thoughts and emotions as he struggles to say goodbye are realistically portrayed, and he's supported by strong secondary characters. Even if there are no easy answers for Sam, the heart-rending story and vividly described settings will captivate readers.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

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