A twelve-year-old genius loses her parents and finds an unlikely new family among people who need her too
A genius finds a new family
Willow Chance is twelve, adopted and extraordinarily gifted. She loves plants, studies medical conditions and calms herself by counting by sevens. She finds it hard to fit in at her new middle school in Bakersfield, California. Then her adoptive parents are killed in a car accident, and Willow is left alone, until a group of unexpected people step forward to take care of her.
Who will enjoy it
Middle-grade readers and adults who enjoy moving stories about loss, kindness and quirky characters, like Wonder.
What you will get
A tender, funny and deeply moving story about grief, resilience and the surprising ways a family can form, told by an unforgettable young narrator.
Counting by 7s Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Grief · Found family · Friendship
Length
416 pages · ≈ 12 h
More about this book
Willow speaks plainly and precisely, sees the world through gardens, science and numbers, and has always been closer to her quietly loving parents than to other children. At school, a perfect score on a test makes teachers suspect her of cheating, and she is sent to Dell Duke, a disorganized counselor who is not very good at his job. There she meets Mai Nguyen, a confident teenager, and her older brother, Quang-ha, who is in counseling for his attitude.
When Willow's parents die, she has no relatives to go to. Mai persuades her mother, Pattie, who runs a nail salon, to take Willow in temporarily, and the family hides the fact that they live in a single room behind the salon. Dell, Pattie and a thoughtful taxi driver named Jairo each change because of Willow, as she quietly helps them, plants a garden and teaches herself Vietnamese. The book moves between Willow's voice and the viewpoints of the adults around her. Sad moments are handled gently, and the overall feeling is warm and hopeful.
Short chapters, a big heart and a satisfying ending. About 416 pages in paperback.
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The War That Saved My Life
The Wild Robot
The Tale of Despereaux
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Because of Winn-Dixie
The Little Prince
The Giving Tree
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
My Side of the Mountain