Mon, October 24, 2011
I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan Review
I’ll Be There
By Holly Goldberg Sloan
May 17, 2011
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 400 pages
Source: Library
Sam Border wishes he could escape. Raised by an unstable father, he’s spent his life moving from place to place. But he could never abandon his little brother, Riddle.
Riddle Border doesn’t talk much. Instead, he draws pictures of the insides of things and waits for the day when the outsides of things will make sense. He worships his older brother. But how can they leave when there’s nowhere to go? Then everything changes. Because Sam meets Emily.
Emily Bell believes in destiny. She sings for her church choir, though she doesn’t have a particularly good voice. Nothing, she feels, is mere coincidence. And she’s singing at the moment she first sees Sam.
Everyone whose path you cross in life has the power to change you–sometimes in small ways, and sometimes in ways greater than you could have ever known. Beautifully written and emotionally profound, Holly Goldberg Sloan’s debut novel deftly explores the idea of human connection.
— Amazon.com description
Granted, Emily is painfully off-key when she performs this song in I’ll Be There, but I thought sharing this gorgeous Jackson 5 version would be a fitting tribute to such a gorgeous book.
If you read this book and don’t feel moved — don’t just OOZE empathy for these characters — I fear you are a robot. Because oh, my word, is this a powerful story. I’ll Be There is one of the most intriguing books I’ve read this year, and one I highly recommend.
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About Me
I read. A lot. Mostly whatever YA novels the library has on hold for me that week. Sometimes grown-up books if my book club makes me.
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thatcovergirl.com said:
This one's on my Christmas wish list! And man, I sure hope I'm not a robot.
[Reply]
Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
Ginger @ GReads! said:
I have this & will be reading it SOON.
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Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
Tara said:
Dude, I really need to read this ASAP. I've had it since BEA…
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Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
Jen (Makeshift Bookmark) said:
this sounds really great but i am SO TURNED OFF by the cover. which is terrible because i know i'm supposed to love the simplicity and it seems all meaningful and what not. but i am so not. but you still make me want to read it
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Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
Anna said:
@Jen (Makeshift Bookmark) WTH, Jen! This is one of my favorite book covers EVER!
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Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
Alexa said:
This sounds like it's going to be quite a good read. I was actually going to say that I liked the cover!
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Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
April (BooksandWine) said:
GASP. Jen, how do you NOT like the cover?
That stated, I am SO SO SO SO glad YOU are not a robot, Anna, and that you loved I'll Be There.
Sigh.
Riddle. ILY. That kid gets an adoption certificate for SURE.
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Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
Julia :) said:
^ I agree. How can anyone not like this cover? I love a good emotional read! Maybe reading this will prove to my family I am not of robot status.
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Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011
Michelle said:
I'm excited that I already have this one sitting on my shelf waiting for me to read it! I've heard nothing but good things about it!
[Reply]
Posted on: Mon, October 24, 2011