After reading The Giver, my anticipation was for a book that would truly engage me and leave me eager to turn the pages. However, to my dismay, this book was quite the opposite. I constantly found myself searching for reasons not to continue reading it. While there were indeed a few decent parts here and there, on the whole, I found the book to be rather dull and disappointing. In my opinion, it might have been better suited as a book for young children, presented in a simple 32-page format with just a sentence or two on each page. That would have been sufficient to convey the (not overly interesting) story. There was really no need for all the elaborate details and the drawn-out narrative that seemed to go nowhere. It failed to capture my attention and hold it throughout, leaving me with a sense of dissatisfaction.

I was completely obsessed with the Anastasia Krupnik books as a kid.

Out of the four books that featured her brother Sam, I only ever read books one and two.

However, book two, “Attaboy Sam”, is still one of my favorite books ever from my childhood.

It’s been a weird few weeks and I’m really craving comfort reads, so I decided to finally finish this series!

This was just so, so cute. I wish I had read it as a kid, but even as an adult I absolutely loved it.

I wish neighborhoods like this still existed! The story was filled with charming characters and heartwarming moments.

It took me back to a simpler time when life was all about playing with friends and having adventures.

The relationship between Anastasia and Sam was especially endearing.

They had their typical sibling spats, but also a deep love and loyalty for each other.

Reading this book made me realize how important it is to hold onto those precious childhood memories.

Overall, it was a wonderful read that brought a smile to my face and warmth to my heart.

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

When Sam returns home from nursery school donning plastic fangs given to him by a classmate, his mother reveals her "fang-phobia" and firmly demands that he not wear them in her presence. Shocked by this perceived injustice, Sam resolves to run away from home. However, before taking off, he makes stops to visit all his favorite neighbors.

Running away is a prevalent theme in children's literature, and it's a threat that most kids utter at some point. What makes this book truly ingenious is its dual-level reading experience. Young readers of Sam's age might wholeheartedly believe that he intends to run away, while older readers, like Anastasia or those even older, will recognize the tactics the adults employ to keep him close to home while still encouraging him to stay. (Lotta on Troublemaker Street has a similar concept, but See You Around, Sam truly masters it.) Sam's gradual realization that the fangs aren't actually comfortable and his slow change of heart regarding his desire to leave home are incredibly realistic. Parent readers will undoubtedly identify with some of Sam's traits and behaviors, as they are similar to those of their own children.

This book is the perfect chapter book to read as a family, especially when a child is four or five years old. Lowry has a deep understanding of how the preschool mind functions, but she also includes a few nods to the parents, making the reading experience enjoyable for all ages. It is undoubtedly the best of the Sam books. I hope this series will receive new covers so that these wonderful books can attract a new generation of readers.

I'm not giving this any stars because I haven't read the whole thing yet.

So far, this series has been a huge hit with my 4-year-old son named Sam. He has been really enjoying it and looking forward to the storytime every day.

But two chapters in, something unexpected happened. He asked me to stop reading this book. I was quite surprised at first. Then I saw that he was very VERY upset. It turned out that he was really affected by the part where the Sam in the book was running away from home.

My little Sam is a very sensitive child, and this scene made him feel worried and scared. So, I just wanted to give a warning. If you have a sensitive little one like mine, this may not be a good choice for family reading. It might cause them some unnecessary distress. You might want to consider other books that are more suitable for their emotional state.

This was the least favorite of the series.

There was just too much walking around, which made it a bit tiresome.

However, the thought of peanut butter and blubbber sandwiches had us all gagging and laughing at the same time.

The combination of those two things was just so absurd and hilarious.

It was one of those moments that made the experience somewhat memorable, despite the excessive walking.

We couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to actually eat such a strange sandwich.

The idea was both revolting and comical, and it brought a lightheartedness to the situation.

Even though this particular installment of the series wasn't our favorite, that one thought about the sandwiches managed to give us a good laugh and a story to tell.

I read this book with my son for a book report.

The concept behind the book really intrigued me. It was unique and engaging, making it a great choice for our report.

The characters in the book were also quite likeable. They had their own personalities and traits that made them stand out.

However, I couldn't help but feel that some of the characters seemed a bit too good to be true. Their actions and decisions were almost flawless, which made them seem a bit unrealistic at times.

Despite this minor flaw, I still enjoyed reading the book with my son. It sparked some interesting discussions and helped him to develop his reading and critical thinking skills.

Overall, I would recommend this book to others who are looking for an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Actually, I finished this a while ago. However, now I am able to update Goodreads. This is another cute story that features Sam. This time, he is attempting his first "running away from home" experience. The category of this story is realistic juvenile fiction. Sam's parents are really cool and laid back. I, on the other hand, am nowhere close to being like that. I often wonder if I would feel different if we lived in a neighborhood where I also knew the neighbors well. But currently, my kids are much older than Sam in this book. It makes me think about how different our parenting styles and family situations can be. I'm curious to see how Sam's adventure of running away from home will unfold and what kind of lessons he will learn from it. Maybe it will also give me some insights into my own parenting.

This particular installment in the Sam series wasn't as engaging as the first two. Those initial books had my 9-year-old son laughing out loud on a regular basis. However, when we were reading this one together, he mentioned on a few occasions that he found it boring. I, too, felt that it dragged on.

I think the concept itself is quite cute. It has the potential to be an enjoyable read. But perhaps it would have been better suited as a short story rather than a full-length book. As it is, the pacing seems a bit off, and it doesn't maintain the same level of excitement and interest throughout.

Nonetheless, it's not a terrible book. It just doesn't quite measure up to the high standards set by the previous installments in the Sam series. Maybe for some younger readers or those with a different reading preference, it might still hold some appeal. But for my son and me, it was a bit of a disappointment.

This is a delightfully sweet and funny book. It tells the story of a little boy who contemplates running away and how his mother, with the help of all the adults in their neighborhood, handles it in a wise way. I read this book to my 8 and 7-year-olds.

However, there is one caveat to think about, which is tension. My 8-year-old son is on the Autism Spectrum and is extremely sensitive to stories and books with tension. In this book, Sam thinks about the negatives of running away as he gradually realizes he doesn't really want to go. But many of the things Sam considers are sad, like missing holidays with his family, or scary, like the wild animals in Alaska (the place he wants to run to).

My son felt a very strong empathy for Sam. Often, as we were reading, he would become frustrated and beg me to skip to the final chapter to find out if it was a happy ending. Or he would become so stressed out that he would leave the room and ask later for a recap of what happened in the parts he missed.

Nevertheless, as soon as we finished reading it, he was enthusiastic about the book. He asked that I load it onto his Kindle so he could re-read it. Once he knew the outcome wasn't a lonely 4-year-old in Alaska watching for bears and missing Thanksgiving, he was eager to read it again for the funny and charming parts of the story that he wasn't able to enjoy the first time around.

It's interesting to see how children with different sensitivities respond to a book, and this experience with my son has given me a new perspective on the importance of considering a child's individual needs when choosing books for them to read.

I've always had a profound affection for the Anastasia Krupnik books. They have this unique charm that keeps me engaged from start to finish. And that includes the ones specifically about her little brother, Sam.

In this particular book, an interesting plot unfolds as Sam makes the decision to run away. It's quite a bold move for a young child.

However, before he embarks on this adventure, he realizes that he has to get himself fully prepared. This means gathering the necessary items and also taking the time to say a proper good-bye to his neighborhood friends.

As I was reading this, it made me think. Oh, how I wish I had a neighborhood where I knew everyone. It would be so wonderful to have that sense of community and familiarity.

I guess I should really start working on that. Maybe I'll make an effort to reach out to my neighbors more often and get to know them better. Who knows, perhaps I'll create my own little world like the one Sam and Anastasia have.

This is a paperback edition that was originally published as a hardback in 1996.

The story revolves around Sam, the little brother of Anastasia, who has her own set of tales. After an unlucky incident at the nursery school, Sam's mother prohibits him from wearing his fake fangs in the house. So, he does the only thing that comes to his mind... he runs away.

Sam is never in peril as the kind neighbors keep an eye on him after his mother secretly calls them to watch over him. The book might be from a simpler era when everyone truly knew their neighbors, and Sam's mother allows him to figure it out on his own instead of resolving the problem for him. New chapter book readers will delight in Sam's story. I would suggest this book for purchase by any school or public library aiming to update their beginning chapter book collection. This book was furnished by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.

It offers an engaging and heartwarming narrative that young readers are sure to enjoy. The characters are well-developed, and the plot is filled with excitement and adventure.

Overall, it is a great addition to any library's collection.

Sam makes the decision to run away to Alaska simply because his mother prohibits him from wearing plastic fangs inside the house. The entire neighborhood then conspires to persuade him to change his mind. For some unknown reason, this particular book fails to be as enjoyable as the previous ones that centered around Sam. He no longer appears to be the precocious genius he once was and instead seems more like an ordinary little boy. I guess as Sam continues to grow up, he will become even less extraordinary. It's a bit disappointing to see this change in his character. However, perhaps this is a natural progression as he matures. Maybe there will still be some interesting adventures and developments in his life that will make the story more engaging in the future.