Samantha Byrd

Samantha "Sam" Byrd is the protagonist of the twelfth book in the Goosebumps series, Be Careful What You Wish For..., and its accompanying television adaptation.

Book
Samantha "Sam" Byrd is the tallest girl in the seventh grade, and she's clumsy. Sam's often teased by her peers, especially by a girl named Judith Bellwood.

One day, Samantha meets a mysterious woman named Clarissa. After Sam gives Clarissa directions, Clarissa says that Sam deserves a reward, and the woman offers the girl three wishes. Wanting to get away from the woman, Sam hurriedly wishes that she was the best basketball player on the school's team. However, during the next basketball game, Samantha learns that she hasn't improved. All of her teammates have gotten worse!

Judith blames the team's misfortune on Sam, so Sam wishes Judith away. This wish causes everyone except for herself and Clarissa to disappear. Sam wishes that everything would return to normal, but she wants Judith to think of her as great. This becomes troublesome when Judith begins following Sam everywhere and stalking her.

Clarissa offers Sam one extra wish. Sam wishes that Judith had met Clarissa instead of her. A little while later, Sam sees Judith talking to Clarissa. Judith shouts, "Byrd, why don’t you fly away!" Sam, feeling lighter than before, sees a worm. Sam eats the worm, flutters her wings, and gleefully flies away, unaware that there's anything wrong.

Television
Samantha is depicted similarly in the book and in the television adaptation. However, the end of the episode is drastically different. Rather than wishing that Samantha would fly away, Judith wishes to be admired by everyone. Clarissa grants this wish by turning Judith into a statue.

Personality
Samantha is clumsy and not very confident. While she is usually good-natured, Sam is often infuriated by Judith. It's hinted that Sam is jealous of Judith and her friends.

Physical appearance
Samantha Byrd is the tallest person in her class. In the book, it is stated that she has fine, light-blonde hair, which she usually pulls back into a ponytail. Samantha also mentions that she has small hands. It is also mentioned that Samantha wears blue Doc Martens boots.

In the television adaptation, Sam has brown hair.

Trivia

 * Samantha is on her school's girls' basketball team. In the book, she says she doesn't have a jersey number. In the episode, her jersey number is 33.