The follow up to I’ll Be There: Emily Bell has it all. This summer is destined to be the best time of her life. But the biggest threat to her happiness is someone she never saw coming.
Sam’s criminally insane father, whom everyone thought they’d finally left behind, is planning a jailbreak. And he knows exactly where to find Emily and his sons when he escapes.
“Lively, tender, and satisfying.”
— The Horn Book, Starred Review
“Immensely satisfying, heartfelt, and lyrical…. A truly compelling novel…. Sloan succeeds in skillfully combining the tenderness of young love, various distinct voices, and fast-paced action.”
— School Library Journal
“Strong dialogue and genuine emotional concern…make this a heart-warming novel…. Definitely a book worth the read.”
— VOYA
“[Delivers] an ultimately hopeful message about how friendships and families can form. Sure to be savored by fans of the first installment.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Destines collide in Sloan’s thrilling sequel to her heart-wrenching I’ll Be There. The fast-paced plot, complex story lines, and compelling characters grab readers from the get-go.”
— Booklist
“Holly Goldberg Sloan’s beautiful 2011 novel I’ll Be There is one of the novels I often recommend, especially to folks who shy away from the young adult label. It’s a magical little novel about a teen boy, Sam, and his young brother, Riddle, who spent their lives on the run with their abusive father until they meet Emily Bell and her family and everything changes.
(Note: This post contains spoilers for I’ll Be There. You’ve been warned.) Could something be an anchor if it wasn’t weighing you down? Was it possible to be anchored to the sky? Because that was how it felt to be with Emily: airborne. But with his feet on the ground.
Just Call My Name picks up shortly after the conclusion of I’ll Be There. Sam and Riddle are safe under the protective arms of the Bell family. Emily and Sam are happy teenagers in love and sweet Riddle is thriving in his new home. The happily ever after of I’ll Be There is threatened by two forces, however: A new girl, Destiny, who blows into town, disrupting everything, and Sam and Riddle’s terrifying father threatening everything they’ve achieved.
Destiny Verbeck might have looked like she could play the part of a baby wood nymph in a professional ice show, but she was tough. She had to be. Her mother had died of a drug overdose after being clean and sober for four years. Her one slipup ended it all. After that, eleven-year-old Destiny, known up until that point as Amber, changed her name.
There’s a lot to like about Just Call My Name, the pacing (the author’s screenwriting background really shows), the smart use of third person omniscient (which I usually hate, but love in these books), for example.
However, what I found particularly compelling about this particular installment is the way Sam and Emily is tested in a believable, authentic way. I’m not talking about the return of Sam’s mess of a father, but instead the plot-line about Destiny. Because we’re able to be in all three characters’ heads, as well as that of Bobby, who was infatuated with Emily in the previous book, Goldberg-Sloan gives readers the complete story.
He didn’t deserve someone like Emily. He didn’t deserve her good family and all their kindness. Why did they trust him when he didn’t even trust himself? He was the son of a crook and a thief, and no amount of pretending was going to change that. It wasn’t that Destiny Verbeck was trouble. He was. As a result, empathy ensues out in a situation where it’s often easy to make a snap judgement. I also think I’m a sucker for stories focusing on what happens after the ‘happy ever after.’
Just Call My Name hits so many hopeful notes about family and the power of many types of love and manages to not be schmaltzy or hokey. I’m not quite sure how Goldberg-Sloan does it, because there are so many situations that would normally leave me rolling my eyes feel real and heartfelt. It’s a testament to the the author’s vivid writing style, for lack of a better term. You know, I doubt the magic of I’ll Be There needed a sequel, but I was thrilled to revisit the hopeful joy of these characters and their special world.”
— Sarah, cleareyesfullshelves.com
“Content: To say that this is intense is an understatement. Violence, yes, but also psychological intensity. It’s not for the faint of heart. It’s in the Teen section (grades 9+) at the bookstore. When we last left Sam and Riddle, their father was safely behind bars and they were living with Emily Bell and her family. A happily ever after, right? Well, only Holly Goldberg Sloan would take a happily ever after and turn it into a nightmare.
First, there’s the whole issue of security: Sam and Riddle (especially Riddle) were controlled and abused for so long that it’s difficult for them to trust their own decisions, to get back into “real” life. They’re suffering, and much of that is the residual affects from the years spent with their father. It doesn’t help that Emily and her family (well, except for her brother, who’s resentful) are super nice. Sam and Riddle don’t know how to handle super nice.
And then their happily ever after starts unraveling. First, it’s Destiny Vance [sic], one of those girls that just screams trouble. Sam just knows it: like calls to like, and he understand’s Destiny’s hard life. But, she won’t be gotten rid of, and sticks to Sam and Emily (and Emily’s former boyfriend, Bobby) like glue. Which is a good thing, because their dad, Clarence, finds his way out of jail and is coming for the boys. And the Bells.
Few authors have the power to completely wreck me emotionally, and yet keep me turning pages at an ever more furious pace, dying to know: WHAT NEXT? Sloan is one of those authors. She captures the inner lives of all the characters, deftly balancing between Sam, Riddle, Emily, Jared, Destiny, Robb, and Clarence. You wouldn’t think it would work, but Sloan pulls it off not only well, but spectacularly. It probably would have been even more powerful if I’d read the first book right before, but even though I didn’t, I was able to immerse myself in this story, my heart simultaneously aching and pounding as I read about Sam and Riddle and their not-so-happily ever after. Amazing.”
— Melissa Fox, The Book Nut
“Holly Goldberg Sloan is an incredible writer. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but I liked this one even more. I appreciate the great depth of her characters. Often, coincidences are categorized as poor writing, but Sloan uses them intentionally and in a clever way—defying literary assumptions about quality writing. The book is quite suspenseful, and readers will have the urge to race through it to learn how the plot unravels. The way Sloan builds the plot details is very thoughtful and meticulous, and I found myself constantly reflecting about how intelligent she is. This sequel is well worth the read. It is a difficult one to put down! It reads like a very literary mystery and would be a great text for teachers to have in their classrooms. One aspect that I love about this series is it turns our concept of family on its head; it will teach readers about the power of a strong family unit—traditional or not.
Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This would be a fantastic resource for teachers teaching plot, suspense, and foreshadowing. The way Sloan builds the events and details is admirable, and students would learn a lot from her design. While it is a sequel, I think this book could certainly stand alone. The ominous mood made my heart race! Check out more curricular connections here: Curricular Connections.
Discussion Questions: How does Sloan thoughtfully use coincidence to build her story?; What is Destiny’s role in the novel? How does Sam perceive her? Is he right? What does this tell us about Sam? Why does the author name her, “Destiny”?; How do the shifts in point-of-view add to your reading of the text? Read This If You Loved: I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan, We Were Liars by e. lockhart, YA Suspense/Mystery Recommended For: Lit Circles, Book Clubs, Classroom Library”
— Ricki Ginsberg, Unleashing Readers
“With their father in jail and Sam and Riddle (from I’ll Be There, BCCB 6/11) all but adopted by Emily’s parents, things appear to be looking up for the boys. Soon, though, an outgoing, attractive girl named Destiny tries to cause trouble between Sam and Emily, but the real trouble is far worse than any of them imagine: Sam and Riddle’s dad, Clarence, has successfully escaped from prison and is coming to get revenge on the family that he thinks stole his boys. The narrative technique here consists of quick cuts between scenes featuring Sam, Emily, Destiny, Riddle, and Clarence, as well as Bobby, Emily’s former boyfriend, and Jared, her younger brother. In addition to relating the events, the characters reflect on their feelings about the other characters, establishing a pattern of suspicion and doubt about whom to trust. The quick-cut technique creates an edgy anticipation that comes to full, heart-stopping effect when Clarence kidnaps Emily. The chase that ensues is riveting not just because of what’s happening but also because readers never get to settle into a continuous or fixed perspective, which turns out to be the theme of the book, as new alliances have to form out of former antagonisms. Such insights are likely to occur only after readers close the book, though, since the emotional rush during reading is too intense to do anything but gobble up the words and breathe when and if you remember to. Sam, Riddle and Emily remain as endearing as they were in the first book, and, as a pleasant surprise, Jared, Bobby and Destiny all undergo redemption after shaky starts. If readers are willing to just accept that Sam and Emily are a committed couple with a troubled past, the story will stand on its own for those who haven’t read the prior book.”
— Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
