New Unpublished Title: ROBIN AND THE SNACK HEIST by Matthew Graeme
Synopsis
My Friend Sam is dual story about two young boys making the most of what they have at Sam's house for a playdate-turned-sleepover, and Sam's mum who is active in her son's life despite the excessive demands of being a single parent.
The story is viewed through the eyes of Sam's friend and neighbour as an unreliable narrator. Through his perspective we are introduced to Sam, the main character of the story. However, the protagonist and hero is Sam's unnamed mother.
Sam’s mother has offered to have Sam’s friend over to play despite having more than enough on her plate. To top it off, she is simultaneously burdened by the expectations of being an active parent and a homemaker. Her situation is first revealed through unfinished household chores including mowing the lawn, folding the laundry and washing the dishes. A situation that the boys are blissfully unaware of thanks to her efforts and the boys’ natural non-judgmental natures.
As the story progresses, the scope of her situation is revealed to be far worse than it initially seemed. Sam’s mum orders a pizza for the boys yet she only gets toast. Nor can she afford any form of streaming service in an online era, using old DVDs and free to air television. A financial situation that worsens when the fridge breaks.
Readers realise that Sam’s mother is an incredible parent and deserves the support she needs yet everyone else in the house is oblivious to the sacrifices she makes. Her entire character arc revolves around her acknowledging that she is in dire straits and can no longer do it all on her own. Her arc resolves when she cries into the shoulder of Sam’s friend’s mother, asking for help, at the end of the story. Her successful arc punctuated by the boys playing happily in the yard, blissfully unaware.
The central theme of this story is how the effort parents put in for their kids goes unnoticed. This is shown by omitting Sam’s mum’s name from the story as well as showing that his friend cannot explain why he has such a good time at Sam’s house. By not including her name, it leaves space for parents to fill in their own experiences to closer relate to, or understand, her struggles. The title also glosses over Sam's mum's contributions hiding the fact that she is the hero of the story.
Market Position Statement
My Friend Sam is a story of a mother doing what she can. It is aimed at parents looking for an enjoyable and thought-provoking story for their 3–6-year-old children.
The style of this book is reminiscent of stories like Just Another Ordinary Day (Rod Clement) or The Most Boring Book Ever (Brandon Sanderson), Like these titles, My Friend Sam has illustrations that do not match the prose. However, unlike these texts that focus on two versions of the same tale, My Friend Sam is designed to tell two different stories. One designed for adults and the other for their children, a similar and successful story telling technique often used by popular television series “Bluey".
Parents will recognise that Sam's mum is sacrificing everything for her son with many able to directly relate to her struggles. And, children will enjoy seeing themselves reflected in the characters whilst finding an appreciation for more exploratory and imaginative play.
Page 1
My friend Sam is my closest friend.
Page 2
And, he has the best house.
Illustrator notes:
The boys peek over the fence. One page showing the POV character with his mum behind him. One page showing Sam with his mum behind him to introduce all the characters. The boys are about 6 years old. We get a view of their house that shows the main character lives in a large, well-maintained house and Sam's is small and rundown.
Created by Matthew Graeme, 2025