Nancy Viau Book Title: Samantha Hansen Has Rocks In Her Head Publication Date: September 2008 Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers/Amulet ISBN: 978-0-8109-7299-5 Author's Website: http://www.nancyviau.com

Description of Book:

MOVE OVER, RAMONA QUIMBY. SAMANTHA HANSEN IS READY TO ROCK!

Sam is a ten-year-old mad scientist, but she doesn’t blow up stuff or change kids into cats that bark. She just has a little trouble controlling her temper, and she "ab-so-lutely" loves science, especially rocks.

Her family is planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, so Sam works hard to stay out of trouble. It isn’t easy for this fourth-grader because she has to deal with a bossy sister, a busy mom who’s obsessed with birthday cakes, and a playground bully who calls her a science freak.

Will Sam survive the class cave trip, a rocky talent show, and a surprise party? When she counts to ten to keep from exploding, will she ever make it past seven? And will she finally get up the nerve to ask her mom about her dad?

With a mouth that seems to have a mind of its own, a brain full of science facts, and a heart that's heavy, Samantha Hansen meets every challenge head on. Sam rocks!

About the Author:

 

Nancy Viau has worked as an elementary school teacher, a counselor in an after-school program, an instructor for reluctant readers, and a freelance writer. She is the mother of four children, and readily confesses, “My kids have done a great job raising me.” 

Nancy's love of travel has taken her across America to many national parks. It was a family trip to the Grand Canyon that inspired this novel.

Please visit www.nancyviau.com.

Excerpt:

"Are you serious?" I ask. I have to ask because that word--vacation--has never been part of Mom's vocabulary. Ever. My eyeballs are the size of sunny-side-up eggs, I'm sure.

Mom smiles, but only halfway. “We haven’t been on a real vacation since, well…you know. You don’t remember the trip to Disney World, do you? You cried the entire flight. We got you settled down in the hotel, but you cried again when we entered the park. Goofy and Mickey Mouse scared you, apparently. Maybe you never imagined them to be so large. Dad swept you up in his arms and carried you all day long.”

While Mom tells this story, the color drains from her face. She looks plain and much older for a few seconds. Like her prettiness has been sucked out.

That face is the reason I never ask about Dad. I have a teeny memory of him, but there is so much more I want to know. I love it when Mom tells me about when we were a whole family. Whole things are way better than parts. Parts of things end up in fractions,  and I ab-so-lutely don’t like fractions. 

“Anyway,” Mom continues, “it would be nice for you and I, and Jen, to get away. Just us girls. But you have to learn to put a lid on that temper of yours.” 

The Grand Canyon is a dream come true for a rock scientist like me. I’m going to need a very tight lid. And quite possibly, a different sister.

Reviews:

"Sam shares many qualities with Junie B.—the obligatory spunk, a chattily ingenuous voice—but her passion for science distinguishes her from other franchise heroines."             - Kirkus Reviews

"Nancy Viau mixes humor, spunk, and charm into the story of a young scientist who asks big questions about her world and unearths some surprising and satisfying answers. Samantha Hansen Has Rocks In Her Head is a gem young readers will 'ab-so-lutely' enjoy."  - Julie Bowe, author of My Last Best Friend and My New Best Friend

“(Sam is) lovable and full of the kind of spirit that makes for a lasting character." - Young Adult (and Kids Books) Central

"The perfect book for the tween science geek!" - David Macinnis Gill, President of ALAN (The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) and author of Soul Enchilada.

"Samantha Hansen Has Rocks In Her Head is a delightful story. This is a terrific read for any 8-12 year old. Five-stars." - Teens Read Too

"A fantastic middle-grade novel..." - Book Chic 

"This novel had some killer qualities. It's easy to fall into this narrative, with its subtle wit and sophisticated simplicity." - Reviewer X