counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan 2013

This new young adult novel was a delight to read. Willow Chance is a 12-year-old genius who, by the age of twelve, has easily mastered many foreign languages, is an accomplished gardener, and knows too much about odd skin conditions.  When tragedy strikes and Willow is left an orphan, the reader is brought along on a journey of grief and healing through friendships formed in odd places. All of the characters are well-developed with a quirkiness and heart that draws the reader in and has her cheering for them all as they try to find their way, and support one another (whether they want to or not), in a not-so-perfect world.  This book occasionally flips perspectives, giving readers a chance to understand the emotions of other characters who are impacted by Willow.  Ultimately, it is a story that shows that “just being there is ninety-nine percent of what matters when your world falls apart.”  

Personally, I am a little tired of all the dystopian, sci-fi fiction that is so popular with our students.  I found this read to be refreshing, insightful and, despite the difficult topic, enjoyable.   I could see using this book as a mentor text for teaching voice in writing.  There are also several passages that would be excellent for closer examination and journal writing.  For example, I might ask, "On page 355 Willow says, 'This is one of the secrets I have learned in the last few months.   When you care about other people, it takes the spotlight off your own drama.'  Give examples from the novel that prove Willow's statement.  Is it a good or a bad thing to care enough about others that your own problems seems less important?"  The craft and structure of this book also lends itself well for more interpretive questions.  As the article suggests, there are several approaches that would allow students to go beyond the "ho-hum" questions and consider how the structure of this novel impacts the meaning.  At the beginning of the novel, we learn that Willow loves the number 7, in fact, she orders her world in 7s.  Some questions to ask students are, "Willow is obsessed with the number 7.  In what ways does she use the number 7 to create order in her world?  Why do you think the author always chooses to write the number in number form  (7) instead of writing it out (seven)?  Explain how this choice impacts the reading of the novel? After her parents' death, Willow stops worrying so much about the number 7.  What does this reveal about her character?"  I might also ask  questions like, "This novel is written in the 1st person point of view, told mostly from Willow's perspective, though some parts are told from other character's perspectives.  How would the novel be different if it were written in 3rd person point of view?"  "Although the author chooses to write from most of the character's perspectives at least once, she never writes from the perspective of Patti.  Why do you think that author made this decision?  How would the novel be different if there were some sections written from Patti's perspective?"

MN STANDARDS:

This novel would easily connect to the 3 standards under Key Ideas and Details:

1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite 
specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. 
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key 
supporting details and ideas. 
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. 

However, a more challenging approach to this novel could focus on the standards found in the Craft and Structure strand:

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, 
and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. 
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of 
the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. 

6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.