SAM

A 14-year-old in foster care finds unexpected help with his anger management issues in a renowned novel about a certain other Canadian orphan.

After being charged with assault for breaking the nose of his high school’s bullying star quarterback with a soda can, Sam is remanded to a juvenile holding facility. He’s initially outraged to be assigned Anne of Green Gables as required reading by Mrs. Martinez, his teacher at the facility, which is nicknamed Blue Gables for the color of its roof. Still, he knows that being his best self for the six weeks until his court date can help him avoid serious legal consequences, so he reluctantly starts reading. In its pages, Sam finds another strong-willed, misunderstood young person who aches for a stable home—and shares his red hair. With gentle prodding from supportive adults and a perceptive roommate, he also catches glimmers, through Anne’s resilience and persistence, of a better way forward. Walters acknowledges his intent to pay homage to a novel that has “transcended countries, cultures, time, and place,” and he slips quotes from L.M. Montgomery’s original into his narrative. The conclusion feels true to the original classic’s spirit more than this story’s relatively gritty events or tone but nonetheless delivers the tough, vulnerable protagonist to a sweet but unlikely fate that most readers will find thoroughly well deserved and satisfying.

A sensitive exploration of the value of books for providing solace and guidance in troubled times.