The Reappearance of Sam Webber

by Jonathon Scott Fuqua

Book Overview

When eleven-year-old Sam Webber's father disappears without a trace, he and his mother are forced to relocate to a tough neighborhood, closer to her job. Unfamiliar with his surroundings and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763614246
• ISBN13: 9780763614249
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 277 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Beautifully written, complex, and moving

I have recently been raving about Darby, Jonathon Fuqua's second novel, to all of my colleagues in the teaching profession. It is an amazing work of fiction for elementary and middle school readers. I fell in love with the book's content (it deals with racism in the Old South), its characters, and the storyline. Therefore, I decided I should read The Reappearance of Sam Webber. It is book for slightly older kids than Darby, but it is absolutely spectacular, too. It is realized in the most unique language, which could be difficult for some readers but also holds the attention once it is fully grasped. It is a significantly more emotionally charged story than Darby, and deals with grief, loss, race relations, friendship and hope. I was absolutely startled by the clarity of vision and unflinching style in which the novel dealt with events and issues. It is, in some ways, a day-to-day experience for the reader, as Sam suffers, meets people, and slowly comes to terms with the events of his life and his father's departure. It is a sophisticated elegant book that is not for lovers of fast paced and highly suspenseful fiction, but it is a book that will leave you thinking, feeling, and hoping. You will finish it knowing every single character personally. Most of all, you'll feel as if you've lived a small portion of your life in a neighborhood in Baltimore City. It is a great, highly recommended read.

A touching, Outstanding novel, recommended for anyone!!

Last night I completed the reappearence of Sam Webber. I have never been so touched by a novel, with such a twisting and compelling story line. Sam's life will touch even the most coldhearted person, his life is turned upside down when his father, known to people close to him as Big Sam leaves without a trace. He leaves a large, sorrowfull mess behind, and Sam's mother becomes close to the breakdown point. Luckily, close friends of the family Junie and Ditch step in and help to make their new house and life feel like home.Sam is a lonely boy, his father was one of the few friends he had, then at his new school, where he gets bullied terribly he finds a lifeline. The dark skinned janitor, becomes a friend and protector from bullies. Sam begins to see more and more of Greely, their relationship reminds me of a close father and son bond.In my short segment of writing I hope I have encouraged, even enticed you to pick up this deliciously bitter sweet novel. I would recommend it for anyone from the age of 10 to 110, everyone will learn seomthing about racial behaviour, family, love and friendship in only 275 pages. This book is earth changing, and it will change your life, forever!

One of the best books I've ever read

When my mom first got me The Reappearance of Sam Webber, I have to say that I wasn't all that excited. I didn't feel like reading it. I guess I'm used to books with a whole lot of adventure, but what I found out was that a book can be incredible without magic or someone firing a single gun. The main character, Sam, is my age and reminds me of how I am. He's a little bit of an outcast, and what he shows is that sometimes the outcasts are the coolest people of all. I loved the way he saw things and the people who are his best friends. Nothing is fake, and everybody is working to be who they are and figure out how to find happiness. For the most part they do, and that's the adventure. And it really is an adventure. It held my attention the entire time. The story begins with Sam's father disappearing without any idea how. They don't know if he was killed or kidnapped. After that, Sam and his mother are forced into a rundown neighborhood and into a tough life in inner city Baltimore. The thing is, that tough area helps him learn about different people, different places, and how to forgive. Along the way, he makes a best friend in a strong, smart older black man, cuts his mother's new boy friend's foot, defends himself from a bully, gets mugged and fingers the guy in a police lineup, and teaches the adults in his life how to be more accepting of others. He's kind of wise and stupid at the same time, and that's what made him so perfect. He's real. Like I said, I didn't want to read the book at first. I don't like things written for teenagers generally. They usually aren't smart enough. But The Reappearance of Sam Webber is different. It's better than Harry Potter and better than anything I ever read at school. It's like The Catcher in the Rye, but it's more like a story and has more feeling. I loved the book, and I highly recommend it to anyone, not just teenagers. You'll think about it for weeks when you're done, and you'll end up reading it again, like me. I hope they turn it into a movie. If they don't, you'd better read it and find out what a really good story is all about. Mike from Kentucky

The strength of families ? traditional and nontraditional

The Re-Appearance of Sam Webber is a warm, skillfully told tale that vividly illustrates the factors that can influence the development and health of a child in a difficult situation - a child "at risk". Little Sam is a young boy growing up in Baltimore, MD with a single mother, following the abrupt and unexpected departure of his father, Big Sam. A major component of the story is Sam's struggle with his father's disappearance, his eventual acceptance of the possibility that Big Sam may not "re-appear", and his coming to terms with life in the aftermath. The true "reappearance" in this book is the realization by the boy that families can be comprised of many combinations of people and that he will survive. Sam and his mother are supported and integrated into a larger family composed of Ditch and Junie, an unusual couple that employ his mother in their Baltimore flower shop, and Greely, a kindly custodian from Sam's school, who takes the boy under his wing, and provides a strong paternal, if not quite parental influence. Interwoven into the story are the themes of racial tension in Baltimore, the economics of single parenting, and the fears of a child's everyday life. The book does a wonderful job of putting the reader in Sam's shoes, and reminding us of the magnitude of issues a child confronts everyday - things that we tend to forget about as adults. This is an enlightening book that helped me regain my perspective. I enthusiastically recommend it as a thoroughly enjoyable read for adults and young adults alike.

WONDERFULLY TOUCHING BOOK!

The measure of a good book for me is if I'm sorry to put it down when I'm through. I was definately sorry to put this book down. You fall in love with the characters instantly. The are so real and true that they could be your neighbor or even yourself. They come to life on the page with wonderful descriptions that make them magically appear in your mind. I'll be thinking of Sam and company for a long while!