My Words on Children's Literature

Genre 6 Fiction, Fantasy & YA

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Patron, Susan. 2006. THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY. Ill. by Matt Phelan. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN1416901949

Read by Cassandra Campbell. 2007. Listening Library. ISBN 9780739338797

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Ten year old Lucky lives in Hard Pan, California, population 43. Her small community on the edge of the desert is unique and sometimes harsh with people that she knows and loves. It’s been two years since Lucky’s mother died. She lives with her guardian, Brigitte, who misses her native France. Lucky is mostly happy hanging out with her friend, Lincoln, and her dog, H.M.S. Beagle. Her troubles begin with misunderstanding chance information. She is afraid that Brigitte will abandon her and return to France, so she begins to formulate a plan to run away.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The theme of wanting a home and belonging to someone is not new. The quirky characters such as Lucky's best friend, Lincoln Clinton Carter Kennedy, who is a member of the International Guild of Knot Tiers, and Miles who insists on being read to from Are You My Mother? add a bit of comedy to the sober thoughts of this young girl. With humor and realism, this novel addresses difficult topics such as absent parents, death, and addiction making the overall message one of hope and love. Lucky is intense yet vulnerable and tries to survive her circumstances by “staying alert and carrying a survival kit at all times because things happen when you least expect them.” Readers will identify with Lucky’s ambivalent feelings that "sometimes [she] wanted to change everything, all the bad things that had happened, and sometimes she wanted everything to stay the same forever."

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January 2007 :“Fans of more traditional stories of youngsters finally finding the home they deserve will enjoy this offbeat treatment of the classic theme.”

Booklist: "Patron's plotting is as tight as her characters are endearing. Lucky is a true heroine, especially because she's not perfect: she does some cowardly things, but she takes pains to put them to rights."

5. CONNECTIONS

*Lead a discussion on the importance of belonging. Brainstorm things that make one feel like he belongs. Write a paragraph about why we want to belong.

Other related books:

*Spence, Eleanor. THE LEFT OVERS. ISBN 045400284X

*Livingston, Elizabeth J. THE HIDEOUT. ISBN 0802435327

// posted by catalogblog @ 9:07 AM