Review: Heart-breakingly real
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 19, 2013
SAVING SAM could be a true story. It doesn't matter that it takes place in Jamaica, because it could just as easily have taken place in the United States, Canada, Europe or anywhere in the world.Sam is a bright, intelligent and self-aware eleven year-old who has experienced the murder of his father, the death of his abusive mother, being separated from his siblings, then being put into a foster home where he is sexual abused. Because I worked for 23 years with abused, neglected and emotionally disturbed children, I know that Sam's story is not impossible. The sad truth is, Sam's story is heart-breakingly real.And yet, just as I witnessed time and time again, Sam is resilient, has a great deal of strength and is compassionate. Because Sam's story is every abused child's story, it is one that needs to be told, something that J. L. Campbell has done very well. Now, your job is to read it and be moved to do something to help children like Sam.