Counting by 7s
by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Book Overview
Willow Chance, a twelve-year-old prodigy who catalogs plants and ailments, watches her precise world fracture when a car crash kills her adoptive parents. Reeling, she lands with the Nguyens—steadfast Mai, her prickly brother Quang-ha, and their fierce mother Pattie—while the well-meaning but hapless counselor Dell Duke hovers nearby. Together they improvise a home, navigate a flawed foster system, and coax a garden from hard ground as Willow fights to make sense of loss and to claim a family made by love.
This guide walks you through each chapter, traces every character, and unpacks key themes—grief, resilience, belonging—supported by a curated set of standout quotes. Use it to study, discuss, and savor Willow’s journey with clarity and confidence.