''Attaboy, Sam!'' (1992) is a children's novel by

Lois Lowry Lois Ann Lowry (; née Hammersberg; March 20, 1937) is an American writer. She is the author of several books for children and young adults, including '' The Giver Quartet,'' ''Number the Stars'', and '' Rabble Starkey.'' She is known for writing ...

. It is the second book in a series that Lowry wrote about Anastasia and her younger brother Sam.

Plot summary

When Mrs. Krupnik announces that she only wants homemade gifts for her birthday, Sam's older sister Anastasia decides to write their mother a poem, while Sam opts to make a perfume. He begins collecting various things that his mother says she likes the smell of, storing them in a grape juice bottle. However, as Sam collects more and more ingredients for the perfume—such as his father's pipe, chicken soup, locks of freshly-washed hair, yeast, and baby wipes—he realizes that the "perfume" is smelling worse and worse. Despite this, Sam continues making the perfume, hoping it will start smelling better.

Reception

'' Kirkus Reviews'' praised the book, describing it as "warm, lively, true to children's real inner lives, and laugh-aloud funny all the way." While a review in ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' found the book generally enjoyable (in particular, praising the relationship between Sam and Anastasia), it wrote that the book's target age range was unclear, with Anastasia's subplot more fitting for older readers.

References

External links

1992 American novels American children's novels Novels by Lois Lowry 1992 children's books {{1990s-child-novel-stub