Counting by 7s
Holly Goldberg Sloan (2013)
“A twelve-year-old genius loses everything and discovers that the family you build can be stronger than the one you were born into.”
For Students
Because Willow thinks differently than anyone you've met in a book before, and by the end you'll understand that thinking differently is not the same as thinking wrong. The writing is funny and sad at the same time, which is how real life actually works. And because the people who save Willow are not superheroes — they're a nail salon owner, a bad counselor, and a taxi driver.
For Teachers
Multiple perspective structure supports point-of-view instruction. Scientific vocabulary embedded in narration supports cross-curricular connections. Grief portrayed with clinical accuracy — useful for social-emotional learning without being didactic. Diverse cast provides mirrors and windows. Short enough to teach in 3-4 weeks.
Why It Still Matters
Everyone has felt like they don't belong. Willow's genius is specific, but her loneliness is universal. The novel's argument — that the family you build can be as real as the one you're born into — speaks to anyone who has found their people in unexpected places. And the idea that intelligence without connection is incomplete is something every overachiever needs to hear.