The Plot
Lucky's life the last few years has been on the unfortunate side. Her father decided after her birth that he didn't want kids and left. Her mother died eight years later in a freak accident. The only parental figure she has now is Brigitte, her father's French ex-wife, who is her guardian. Lucky worries that life in Hand Pan, CA (population 43) will prove too much for Brigitte's Parisian sensibilities and send her packing back to France.
Admittedly, things are pretty rough in this town. Everyone seems to be part of a 12-step recovery program of some sort, which Lucky eavesdrops on with rapt attention. There are only three jobs to speak of in the town, and everyone anxiously awaits the arrive of the government surplus food at the end of the month. When it looks like Brigitte has finally decided enough is enough, Lucky takes matters into her own hands by running away and accidentally taking a pesky, cookie-crazed five year-old along with her.
The Review
While the book features a startling beginning (three uses of the word "scrotum" in the first three pages), it's slow to get going and even when it does, very little happens. This is a character novel that doesn't see a lot of change in the main character. Admittedly, the Newbery Award criteria doesn't require character development, only character delineation. Personally, I don't know many tweens that would be really gung-ho about this book.
The Details
- Age Range: 9 - 11 years
- Grade Level: 4 - 6
- Lexile Measure: 1010L
- Paperback: 160 pages
- Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
- ISBN-10: 1416975578
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