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Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head (by )

common sense media says

A fun young heroine reminiscent of Ramona Quimby.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that there's not much to worry about in this novel. The family struggles with after-effects of the death of a parent and there is some sibling rivalry. There are also a couple of instances of boy-girl like typical of the age.

Positive messages: Samantha learns how to control her temper and her mother works on helping her daughters cope with the loss of their father.
Violence: Two girls get lost at the Grand Canyon, but they are found unharmed. A girl kicks a boy -- she says accidentally, he says on purpose.
Sex: A teen girl has a crush on a boy and tries to flirt with him. A middle-schooler starts to move past her "boys are gross" phase.
Language: Some name-calling and yelling among siblings and grade-school kids.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about spending more time together. Where has your family gone on vacation? What is your favorite activity to do together as a family? What new places would you like to explore as a family?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Samantha Hansen is 10 years old and loves all things science, but she's especially wild about rocks. And when her mom announces a surprise trip to the Grand Canyon, Samantha can hardly believe her luck. The only problem is Samantha's mom makes her promise to control her temper -- a challenge for a headstrong girl with a lot going on. If her bossy big sister doesn't set her off, there are the kids teasing her at school, the pressure to finish her science experiments … and underlying it all, a sadness her whole family has to cope with after her father's death.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
It's easy to draw comparison between Ramona Quimby, the Beverly Cleary heroine, and Samantha Hansen in SAMANTHA HANSEN HAS ROCKS IN HER HEAD. Both girls are fun, fearless, and funny with fussy big sisters. But that's where the comparisons end. Cleary's characters and family life have a transcendent sense of warmth that we don't get in author Nancy Viau's novel.

The family is quirky and they have some wonderful touching moments, but the storytelling doesn't elevate the book to the classic status of Cleary. Where it succeeds is in being a wonderful alternative for girls who aren't the typical marketed-to tween -- specifically the Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers fanbase. It's also a great opportunity to get girls excited about geology and science in general.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication date: September 1, 2008
Number of pages: 192
Hardcover price: $15.95
Read Aloud: 8
Read Alone: 9
This review was written by Terreece Clarke
 
 

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age
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