I'll Be There in Mock Printz 2026

May 22, 2011 Mark rated it liked it

Shelves: coming-of-age, young-adult-literature

"'Get in. I packed your stuff. We're out of here.'

It had happened before. Many, many, many times. But never like this.

There were choices. They knew that they could have run. And they knew that they could have refused to go. But it felt, to both boys, as if those choices did not exist.

Because, if you cared about something, it would be taken away. If you stood up for yourself, you would be beaten down. If you spoke out, you would be silenced. They had only learned how to be there for each other. O "'Get in. I packed your stuff. We're out of here.'

It had happened before. Many, many, many times. But never like this.

There were choices. They knew that they could have run. And they knew that they could have refused to go. But it felt, to both boys, as if those choices did not exist.

Because, if you cared about something, it would be taken away. If you stood up for yourself, you would be beaten down. If you spoke out, you would be silenced. They had only learned how to be there for each other. Other people could never be part of the equation.

Clarence had set up the rules of the game that way long ago."

Seventeen year-old Sam, and his twelve year-old brother, Riddle, have been on the run for as long as they can remember. Over a decade before, they were taken by their father, a small-time thief, and in order to maintain their cover, he has moved them from place to place, always keeping the truck packed, to leave at a moment's notice. Sam and Riddle have always relied solely on each other, because their father sees them as more of a burden than anything else. Sam, a music lover and naturally gifted guitarist, wanders into a church one Sunday morning, and hears Emily sing a solo, albeit poorly. Emily focuses on Sam during her song, and the two of them share a quick moment outside the church, before Sam vanishes. But Emily cannot get him out of her mind, and when they meet again, she begins to include him in her life, and is confused by Sam's lack of background information, and Riddle's curious silence. When Clarence, the boy's father, realizes that his sons have endangered his anonymity, he flees with them, setting up a search for the boys that spans several states.

This is definitely a "feel good" book, and while I can appreciate one of those occasionally, this one just didn't grab me like I thought it would. Sloan writes the novel through a variety of third-person omniscient points of view, focusing on the boys, their father, Emily, her parents, and other characters who are both directly and tangentially related to the plot. The idea is that everyone has a path in life, and crossing those paths always holds the power to change us, for good or bad. I get that, and Sloan creates some characters who are memorable. My problem was that, with so much switching between characters, it became difficult to identify with any of them to a great extent, or with their situations. There were also too many "miraculous" coincidences for my taste, which brought characters together, separated them, and then reunited them. I can definitely see the appeal this book will have, but it just didn't do it as much for me, at least this time around. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Terri rated it really liked it

I find myself saying, "What a small world!" more and more these days. Technology and transportation have placed the world at our fingertips. Those moments always make me contemplate how the small choices we make millions of times a day lead us to those "What a small world!" consequences and connections and realizations. "I'll Be There" by Holly Goldberg Sloan beautifully captures these ideas.

"I'll Be There" is told from a third person-omniscient point of view. We get the story from the various p I find myself saying, "What a small world!" more and more these days. Technology and transportation have placed the world at our fingertips. Those moments always make me contemplate how the small choices we make millions of times a day lead us to those "What a small world!" consequences and connections and realizations. "I'll Be There" by Holly Goldberg Sloan beautifully captures these ideas.

"I'll Be There" is told from a third person-omniscient point of view. We get the story from the various perspectives of the major players. Sloan meticulously shows the connections that eventually bring these characters together, apart, and then together again. It begins when Emily Bell is persuaded by her music professor father to sing "I'll Be There" in front of the church congregation where he is the music director. On this particular day, Sam Border, the son of an abusive drifter, is drawn to the church because of his love of music. When Emily decides that to get through her performance, which is plain awful, she should just stare at the back of the church, she sees Sam looking right at her. A connection is made. When she runs out of the church after her miserable performance and throws up, he appears at her side and holds her hair while she pukes. Emily can't forget this handsome young man. Days later, while at iHop with Bobby Ellis, Emily sees Sam and a young boy (his brother Riddle) from the window (what a small world!). She chases after them. We find out what each character does and thinks that leads him or her to these connections. Fascinating. Eventually, Emily's family meet Sam and Riddle and find out bits and pieces about the two boys' lives. When Clarence, their father, finds out about the relationship that has developed between his boys and the Bell family, he uproots them again. While the boys begin another adventure, the Bell family mourns their loss.

Sloan's writing is simply beautiful and meticulous. In a few of the reviews I have read, readers state that there were too many unbelievable consequences in the book. I totally disagree. If we were able to look down on our own lives, and all of the players in our lives, we would see that our lives are filled with little "consequences" every day. One then ponders whether these are our destiny or in our control. What if I had just left five minutes earlier for work? Would I have avoided that car accident? What if I hadn't forgotten to get spinach and had to run to the grocery store? Would I have seen Alyssa who told me about the meeting where I would meet my future employer? And on and on. I found this aspect of the book fascinating. Sloan covers all of the bases with exacting detail. The plot offers lots of outdoor adventure which many teen boys will love, as well as a focus on relationships, which may appeal to many teen girls.

In addition, the characters are beautifully rendered. They are real, nuanced, and complex. Sloan takes the reader through a roller-coaster of emotions as we look into the lives of Emily Bell and her family members, as well as Sam, Riddle, and Clarence Border. Sam and Riddle, though they have lived a difficult and hardscrabble existence, are so pure and so good. They are characters whom I will continue to think about for a long time to come.

For those who enjoy first love books like "Eleanor and Park" by Rainbow Rowell, and those who enjoy books that focus on the choices we make in our lives, like "Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver, this is a MUST read. Highly recommended.

...more

Like · see review

Jun 22, 2012 Abigail rated it really liked it

wh, I'm listening to the song as I write this, so that certainly colors my post-book thinking a little. "Where there is love, I'll be there..." Michael Jackson, when'd you stop being so cute? But I digress.

Anyway. This book, in most ways, is perfect, and the problems with it are all mechanical. This is the author's debut novel so I feel like, maybe, if she were more experienced, this book would have been truly, truly perfect.

The characters are fascinating. I loved Emily as of page 4, where you h wh, I'm listening to the song as I write this, so that certainly colors my post-book thinking a little. "Where there is love, I'll be there..." Michael Jackson, when'd you stop being so cute? But I digress.

Anyway. This book, in most ways, is perfect, and the problems with it are all mechanical. This is the author's debut novel so I feel like, maybe, if she were more experienced, this book would have been truly, truly perfect.

The characters are fascinating. I loved Emily as of page 4, where you hear how she collects people's stories. That's just... gah. Like every writer's love, I'm telling you.

But I never fell for the characters, Sam and adorable Riddle included. I mean I loved them in a passive way, but I never felt that aching in my chest that I feel when I truly LOVE a character. And I don't know why. I think, for whatever reason, their relationships are so perfect in concept that the mediocre writing and storytelling just can't convey them.

I love that we find out Riddle's going home to them before we find out about Sam. I love the references to the song.

What didn't I like? Well, there are lots of flaws, trust me. I don't see the need to vilify Bobby, first of all. Second of all, the relationship between Riddle and Sam is no Soda/Pony relationship. You don't feel it as much as see it (in my opinion, anyway), which is... a problem. A little. I feel like she's telling us how important they are to each other but, for some reason, her writing doesn't convey the love that other brother books do.

Also, the switching of perspectives. Yeah. That reminded me a little of the writing in As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth (actually, this book on a whole reminded me in spirit of that), and it was pissy. I mean, I liked the little tie-ins at the end, but eh. They made the book drag and drag, and like 90% of its problems would be no more if she'd simply not done that.

Still, as I said, those complains are all mechanic. Her writing and story-telling abilities. They have nothing to do with the concept or the sweetness of the book as a whole, or the inclusion of the beautiful Jackson 5 song. "Just let go of your shoulders, honey!" (Sorry, this is like the third time I've listened to it in a row now, and I'm quoting the punchier parts of it).

...more

Like · see review

Apr 18, 2011 Sarah rated it did not like it

Another one I couldn't finish. All tell, no show; the whole thing just felt distant. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 05, 2011 Richie Partington rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction

21 January 2011 I'LL BE THERE by Holly Goldberg Sloan, Little Brown, May 2011, 393p., ISBN: 978-0-316-12279-5

"You and I must make a pact..."-- Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal David, Willie Hutch, "I'll Be There"

"Sam thought about going back to the First Unitarians. But it wasn't possible."When you spend ten years being invisible, when you no longer know where you were born, and are not even sure when you were born (it had to have been the summer, because there were memories of an ice-cream cake and ...more

Like · see review

Aug 29, 2011 Kim rated it really liked it

Shelves: family, teen-ya, abuse, love

This story had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I was expecting the standard teenage romance book, but this was so much more! Sam, and his brother Riddle, were kidnapped by their father and have been living on the run for as along as Sam can remember. His father is a criminal and when the cops start moving in, they all have to move to a different city. This life is normal to Sam - until he meets Emily and her family and discovers how different things could be. This is a "one sitti ...more

Like · see review

Oct 12, 2011 Erinn rated it really liked it

If I could give half stars this book would be a four and a half. Kids who said that it was sweet were right, there are parts that might cause some eye-rolling, but there are also genuine scary moments and funny moments. Definitely enjoyed the theme of people being connected to each other in many different ways, and I found the changes in perspectives interesting instead of annoying--they never lasted for too long for minor characters. Cover artwork is fabulous as well although I didn't find that ...more

Like · see review