Counting by 7s

Counting by 7s

By Holly Goldberg Sloan

108 ratings 148 reviews 112 followers
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grades 3 - 8X5.662677
A New York Times Bestseller. An AMAZON Best Book of the Year 2013.  A Kids' Indie Next List Top Ten Book-- #4, Best Books of Autumn 2013.  B.E.A. Buzz Book Award 2013.  A Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2014-2015 Master List.  A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year.  An E.B. White Read Aloud Honor Book. A Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee.  A National Public Radio Best Book of the Year.

In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family.


Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn't kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.
 
Suddenly Willow's world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.


"In achingly beautiful prose, Holly Goldberg Sloan has written a delightful tale of transformation that's a celebration of life in all its wondrous, hilarious and confounding glory. Counting by 7s is a triumph."--Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette

"Holly Goldberg Sloan writes about belonging in a way I've never quite seen in any other book. This is a gorgeous, funny, and heartwarming novel that I'll never forget."--John Corey Whaley, author of Where Things Come Back

"Willow Chance subtly drew me into her head and her life, so much so that I was holding my breath for her by the end. Holly Goldberg Sloan has created distinct characters who will stay with you long after you finish the book."--Sharon Creech, Newbery Award-winning author of Walk Two Moons



 
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN-13: 9780142422861
ISBN-10: 014242286X
Published on 9/16/2014
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 416

Book Reviews (145)

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Really inspiring! I love this book so much. I really relate to Willow. Especially the part about nap time in Kindergarten. Especially that part. But, this is such a good book.

I have not read it yet but maybe I will.

This book is great! It's about Willow, and how her parents die, but it is really good!

This was...mediocre at best. Throughout the entire book, I tried to find the appeal that first drew me to read it, but it's Just. So. Boring. The plot isn't very good. I thought it would be powerful and emotional, but really, it was just plain and very slow. The characters are not the best either. There's a stereotypical genius protagonist, Willow Chance, who seems to attract the attention of all even though her only personality trait is being brilliant. Then there are the secondary characters. A lot of them try to be funny or ironic but are, in fact, very annoying and/or bland. If you like stand-alone novels about loss and healing, or you're interested in narration from the point of view of a "child prodigy," then this book might be of interest to you. Otherwise, I'm sorry to say, this book is not as good as the summary leads you to believe.

Being really smart is not stereotypical. I'm smart, and I have trouble finding book characters that I relate to, but you come and say that one of the only characters in books that smart girls can relate too is a "stereotypical genius" just because she is intelligent. There is nothing wrong with being smart.

I absolutely recommend this book. It was heartwarming and Beautiful! there is spoilers ahead in the review. it was surprising to me that Pattie had so much money and adopted Willow. I have gone through grief of a parent and the story was really touching. I finished the book listening to my book playlist. I 100 recommend. anyways! if you liked this book you may like "the space we're in" :)

I loved it! It's about a girl named willow chance. She is really smart but her teacher accuses her of cheating on a test. She has to see a counciler and her parents die.And her friends take her in! It's amazing! I cried. So good 👍

This is such a good book if you have lost a parent or just a loved one. Its about a girl, Willow, and she's basically a genius but she doesn't show it. One day her teacher accuses her of cheating when she really didn't so now she has to see the counselor. She ends up making one friend at her counseling sessions but one day when she comes home she gets some really bad news, her parents died in a car accident. Willow now has no one except her counselor and her one friend that might not even be her friend. Read this heart-warming book to find out how she survives and how she overcomes her loss.

I did not like this book. Willow is a very smart kid. Apart from being a genius, Willow's life is very simple. But after a horrible incident, Willow's life is turned around. Willow has to rebuild her life with the help of some friends. The plot was confusing, and was not my favorite book.

Willow Chance isn't like most kids her age. She is a genius, though she'll never tell you so. She has amazing supportive parents, and even though she's adopted they make the perfect family. Willow has a plan for everything. Until she starts middle school. Then she faces problems she never thought she'd have. And then tragedy strikes, and Willow doesn't know what to do. But she has made a difference in peoples lives, and now its their turn to make a difference in hers. This story was so touching. I laughed and cried. Willow is so smart that she doesn't even need to go to school, which I find really cool.

This was a wonderful book! I am used to reading science fiction right now, and I forgot how much I like realistic fiction! This book was a great reminder of how much I like it. 12-year-old Willow Chance has been adopted once. Then her adopted parents suddenly die in a car accident, and it looks like she will have to be adopted for a second time. Willow finds an unlikely friend in her counselor, and meeting him helps her make other friends. I highly recommend this story of friendship and loss, and I think that any reader of any age would enjoy it.

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