The story of one mother’s fight against the medical establishment to prove the link between infection-triggered PANDAS and her son’s sudden-onset OCD and Tourette syndrome. The summer before entering sixth grade, Sammy, a bright and charming boy who lived on the coast of Maine, suddenly began to exhibit disturbing behavior. He walked and ate with his eyes shut, refused to bathe, burst into fits of rage, slithered against walls, and used his limbs instead of his hands to touch light switches, doorknobs, and faucets. Sammy’s mother, Beth, already coping with the overwhelming responsibility of raising three sons alone, watched helplessly as her middle child descended into madness. Sammy was soon diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and later with Tourette syndrome. Unwilling to accept the doctors’ prognoses for lifelong mental illness and repeated hospitalizations, Beth fought to uncover what was causing this decline. Beth’s quest took her to the center of the medical community’s raging debate about whether OCD and Tourette syndrome can be caused by PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections). With the battle lines firmly drawn, Beth searched until she found two cutting-edge doctors who answered that question with a definitive yes. Together, they cured Sammy. Five years later, he remains symptom free.

After Morgan’s backyard is flooded by the nearby river, her dog, Shire, finds a baby beaver that has been washed out of its den. Realizing that its parents aren’t coming back, Morgan must quickly learn to care for the beaver, which she names Sammy. Morgan’s parents warn her that he can’t stay with them forever. Will Morgan be able to find a safe home for Sammy? The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

"Journey back in time for a look at Sammy's Family Tree. From early cave dachshund Ugga Ugga Bark Bark to a modern-day computer whiz, you'll meet incredible inventors, brave heroes, and even an artist who have paved the way for Sammy, inspiring him to be the dachshund that he is today!"--Front flap of jacket.

Surviving Sam is Pagan Riddler's story. It begins three years after her twin brother, Sam, dies in an avalanche that roars down the mountain they are climbing together. Now Pagan is in her final year of high school and struggling to come out from under the shadow of Sam's death. She has seen a string of doctors to repair her body and fix her deep depression, but she still wakes up every morning longing for Sam to be alive. Soon life becomes complicated again: her parents might be splitting up, her friends are keeping big secrets from her, and as graudation looms she needs to decide what to do with the rest of her life. Then comes the most difficult blow of all: Sam's body is found at last, and Pagan must accept that her brother is really and truly dead.

Auntie Squirly shares her secret with young Sammy Rabbit about the habit of saving.

A shepherd boy relates well-known Bible stories, including himself and his sheep Sammy in each one. The reader may search for the shepherd boy and Sammy in the illustrations.

Sammy Spider wants to taste the golden honey the Shapiros set out for a sweet New Year. Mom tells him to stick to spinning webs, but will curious Sammy listen?