Sam Krupnik: A Sweet Series for Little Boys

Katie Fitzgerald shares about a lesser-known series of books with special appeal to preschool and kindergarten boys.  

The Sam Krupnik Series

By Lois Lowry

Publisher: Clarion Books

Introducing the Sam series  

Moms my age (42) and older might remember a series of novels about Anastasia Krupnik, the adolescent daughter of intellectual parents who dealt with the pitfalls of early teenhood, including boys, school assignments, and mild family strife. I don’t typically recommend those books to Catholic kids because of some inappropriate references. However, as the Anastasia series was winding down, the author Lois Lowry, started to publish a spin-off series about Anastasia’s much younger brother, Sam Krupnik.

I think these spin-off books, which are also novels, were largely overshadowed by the flagship series, but they remain in print, and they have become the favorite read-alouds of my 5-year-old son, Robert. If you have a boy who is four or five, you might want to grab these for him too! 

Clever and Funny Stories  

The first book, All About Sam, begins with Sam’s birth and babyhood. This is the only children’s book I’ve ever read in which we get to hear the interior thoughts of a baby. This is such a clever way to introduce a character, and it engaged my son right away because he likes babies and especially enjoys looking at pictures of himself as a baby. I also felt like these early sections were very pro-life in their reinforcement of the idea of a baby as a person with his own thoughts and feelings. 

After a few chapters in that first book, Sam learns to walk and talk, and then the mischief begins. Sam lives in a loving, supportive household, and he is a very sweet and earnest child character, but like all little boys, especially very clever ones, he gets into his share of trouble. Throughout the series, which also includes Attaboy Sam!, See You Around, Sam, and Zooman Sam, he does things like flush objects down the toilet, cut his own hair, and plan to run away. He also memorably attempts to create a perfume for his mother’s birthday that results in an accidental chemical reaction when all her favorite smells mingle within his toy box. My son laughed his head off over that one.  

Unlike some contemporary children’s books that seem to glorify misbehavior and defying authority, the Sam series strikes a nice balance between appealing to a young child’s sensibilities and modeling good behavior. Sam’s antics are relatable because they feel like things that could happen to anyone, but young listeners are also quick to point out the naughtiness of his actions and their unforeseen consequences. 

Multiple Formats Available  

The Sam books are available as paperbacks and ebooks, and for young kids who don’t read yet, there are also audiobooks on Audible. These are the perfect lesser-known titles to read aloud to your Pre-K and kindergarten boys (and girls too — my daughters fight over the chance to read a chapter to their brother). I hope Sam will bring as much joy into your home as he has brought to mine!  

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Copyright 2025 Katie Fitzgerald
Images: Canva