Book title: Counting By 7s
Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan
Recommended reading age: 10-12
Recommended grade level: 5-9
Print length: 416 pages
Language: English

Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting By 7s is a book about coping with traumatic grief. A 12-year-old genius, Willow Chance, lives with her adoptive parents. She loves plants, learning, and most of all, counting by 7s. But because of others’ accusations to her at school, she gets sent to the school counselor, Dell, and meets Mai and her brother, Quang-ha. She encounters a taxi-driver, Jairo, and Mai’s mom, Pattie Nguyen, whom she soon begins to create bonds with. In a matter of time, her life begins to brighten up as she becomes friends with all of them. However, her life takes a drastic turn as she soon begins to find out about her parents death. But with the help of her friends, she begins to learn how to confront her parents’ death. So, through the support of others, she will learn and push through grief.

This book tells a story about how a girl experiences trauma, but soon learns how to move on. An intriguing and introspective book about survival and hope, this book is definitely one to look forward to!