Samantha Saves The Day - Book Discussion

Hi everyone! I hope you all were able to read Samantha Saves The Day so we can discuss it. Sorry I was a few days late! If you don't have copies of these books going forward at home, you can check to see if a local library has them, and if no libraries have them, you can make an account at the Library of Congress's Internet Archive and check them out there.

Samantha Saves The Day is about Samantha's vacation to Grandmary's summer home in Piney Point, which is the area where Samantha's family used to vacation before her parents' death. One day, Samantha finds a sketchbook her mother made of Teardrop Island, the area where they drowned, and is inspired to visit. But when tragedy strikes, it's up to Samantha to save the day.

When I was rereading this book, several things came to mind about the themes within, and both their historical context and what it means to be a girl in 2025. I don't want these posts to be too long, so I'll list my thoughts, and let you discuss these topics as well in the comments!

1. At the beginning of the book, Agnes is reluctant to play outside and "get dirty", but Samantha enjoys the outdoors with zero hesitation. Why do you think that is?

   Throughout the series so far, it has been shown that Samantha has a willingness to challenge the norms of her time. She has unlearned so much, had empathy for the lower classes, and of course, isn't afraid to get a little dirty. By contrast, Agnes, living a wealthy city life, hasn't had much of a chance to get dirty and explore like Samantha has.

2. It really says a lot about Grandmary how she still is able to go to the house in Piney Point, even though that's where her daughter died. How do you think she deals with the grief - do you think she's past it, or still feels it?

   At the end of the book, when Grandmary looks through the album Samantha gave her, there is still a hint of grief in her heart, I feel. She just lost her daughter five years prior to the events of this book, and I'm sure that's really hard on her. But she's also able to move on in a sense, as she's able to make new memories on Piney Point.

   
   

3. How do you think Samantha feels about her parents?

   Samantha was really young when her parents died - only five years old. She doesn't have many memories from her parents initially, but going to Piney Point gives her a new outlook on her short time with her parents - she's able to cherish the memories she does have, and be able to make new ones with her new family structure as well.

   
   

4. Samantha is able to face her fears and save the Admiral from drowning on Teardrop Island - what do you think gave her the courage to do so?

   Samantha has really grown into a courageous young woman over the course of the series - book 1 Samantha wouldn't have been able to do that. But her experiences with Nellie, her experiences learning from Aunt Cornelia, and coming to terms with her parents' death and being able to have a new outlook on it must have informed her change of heart - and given her a dedication to do anything for the people she loves, even if it's hard.

   
   

On Friday, we will be finishing the Samantha series with Changes for Samantha! Kirsten's series will be after that!