The narration of Counting by 7's is probably what appealed to me the most. Much of the story is narrated by the protagonist of the novel, Willow Chance, a middle school aged genius who loses her parents in a car accident. Holly Goldberg Sloan develops Willow's voice beautifully, and those of us with more average intelligence get to spend a little time poking around in the head of a character that we probably wouldn't understand if we were to meet her in real life.
There are other memorable characters in this novel: Jairo, the cab driver who needs a little confidence in order to go back to college; Mai and Quang-ha, Vietnamese siblings who each befriend Willow in their own way; and Dell Duke, the incompetent guidance counselor who learns to take pride in his work. All of these characters touch Willow's life and are changed by the experience, a testament to the fact that even a twelve year old girl with socialization problems can make a difference in the lives around her.
An absolutely delightful book!
There are other memorable characters in this novel: Jairo, the cab driver who needs a little confidence in order to go back to college; Mai and Quang-ha, Vietnamese siblings who each befriend Willow in their own way; and Dell Duke, the incompetent guidance counselor who learns to take pride in his work. All of these characters touch Willow's life and are changed by the experience, a testament to the fact that even a twelve year old girl with socialization problems can make a difference in the lives around her.
An absolutely delightful book!