Sam Shakusky is a 12-year-old boy who grew up in New Penzance as an orphan ever since both his parents passed away. Sam has some very unique qualities and is unlike any other character in the movie. Sam always keeps his chestnut-brown hair unkempt under his raccoon hat along with his tortoise-shelled glasses that compliment his brown almond-shaped eyes. He is often seen wearing his Khaki Scout uniform with his yellow scarf tied around his neck and socks that reach just below his small knees. Sam is very confident and walks with his chin up. When speaking, Sam speaks straight to the point and tends to be blunt. His hobbies include watercolor painting and adventuring wherever. As a former member of the Khaki Scouts, Sam has extensive knowledge on camping, survival skills, wildlife and cartography. .
Sam grew up being very lonely and abandoned since his parents died when he was very young. He has learned to cope with the situation but experiencing that kind of trauma as a kid has wounded him emotionally. By coping, he does his best to be independent but he is just as naive like any other 12-year-old and needs someone to protect him. His outlook on life is very different from other kids that never had to experience what he went through. When Sam meets Suzy, he instantly falls in love with her. He loves her so much that, on a whim, he decides that the two of them should get married. At this early point of his life, he is already committed to starting a life with a girl that he has just met. He is so in love with the idea of being with someone and being a part of a family, as he never really had one. With Suzy, he thinks that he's found 'the one' that he will spend the rest of his life with. .
Though what Sam doesn't realize until the very end of the story, is that Suzy is not the only one that he needs. He needs people to look over him; people that will care for him no matter what. So when Captain Sharp asks Sam for permission to become his legal guardian, he couldn't be happier.