Author: Susan Patron
Illustrator: Matt Phelan
Category: Newbery Award Book
When I began reading this book, I was immediately struck by the similarities between it and the other Newbery Award Book I read – Everything on a Waffle. It happened by chance that this was my second selection for this category; I was not purposely trying to select a similar book. Both of these award-winning books tell stories of young, precocious little girls who find themselves suddenly and tragically orphaned. In different ways, the girls set out on a journey of adventure and discovery, with the help of some interesting and unique friends. Lucky lives in a sleepy little desert town with a population less than fifty. Her father hadn’t wanted children, and so her parents divorced when Lucky’s mother became pregnant. Lucky’s mother is electrocuted when she steps on a downed power line after a thunderstorm. Lucky’s father calls on his first wife, a young French lady named Brigette, to come to California and be Lucky’s guardian. The story follows this young girl’s search for her “higher power” – something she overhears recovering addicts talking about their 12-Step Meetings. Lucky cleans the porch of the visitor’s center / museum where the meetings take place and eavesdrops from a hole in the wall. She desperately wants to know what her “higher power” is and where she can find it. She has lots of dreams and hopes for her life, despite her sad situation. To compound matters, she finds some suspicious things at home – three trailers strung together- that convinces her that her Guardian, Brigette, is going back home to France. Fearing that she will become a ward of the state, Lucky packs her survival kit backpack with essentials and special items, and heads into the desert. Among the items she takes is the urn with her mother’s ashes in it. She was not prepared to cast her mother’s ashes into the wind at her memorial service, because she was too young. She is overwhelmed to discover that the man she had assumed was the funeral director and had handed the urn to her was actually her father. She had no idea. Lucky is depicted on the cover of the book wearing Brigette’s special red silky dress – the one Brigette had worn when she first arrived in Hard Pan – but not again since. For this special occasion of running away, Lucky wanted a special dress. She is holding the urn in one arm and flinging her mother’s ashes to the wind with her other. This is how the story ends. The whole town searches for Lucky, who is hiding in a cave with 5-year-old Miles – who has also run away, much to Lucky’s chagrin. She had much wanted this to be her own moment. As the townspeople approach her, she turns the situation into a improvised memorial service for her mother. She opens the urn and flings the ashes away – finally achieving closure. In the end, she discovers that Brigette loves her very much and has no plans to return to France. On the contrary, the papers that had aroused Lucky’s suspicion were things that Brigette was gathering to present for her intent to adopt Lucky. Having found her “higher power”, Lucky seals the hole in the wall one day after cleaning the porch of ashes, cigarettes, cans, and candy wrappers. She doesn’t need to listen anymore. I enjoyed this little story very much. One of my favorite parts of the book is Lucky’s explanation of how she came to acquire her job at the Hard Pan visitor center / museum where the 12-Step Meetings are held. She explains that the recovering alcoholics don’t want to see the beer cans left by the smokers, who don’t want to see the cigarettes left by the recovering alcoholics. Furthermore, the eater’s anonymous group cannot stand to see the candy wrappers left by the smokers, drinkers, and gamblers. So, she is hired to sweep up after each meeting. I thought it was funny – how we all have our vices. The story touched my heart, because it told the story of a woman who came to be the mother of a child who was not her own. The tender love she showed Lucky as she cradled her in her lap each night before bed was touching. As an adoptive mother, I appreciated her struggle. I liked the way that the story unfolding, revealing little tidbits about Lucky’s past. I found it interesting that the book addressed something as mature and complex as finding one’s “higher power.” I found the innocent way that Lucky pursued hers to be charming. I think that is the new thing I learned about children’s literature – that heavy issues can be addressed. This book talks about addictions, divorce, death, substance abuse, and jail. The situation isn’t always happy. The characters are real. Short Sammy – a man who lost everything because of alcoholism. Miles: a kindergartener who lives with his grandmother because his mother is in jail. Miles’ grandmother: a recovering alcoholic who decided she had to get her act together when her daughter went to jail. I think I like the fact that this book presents very sad, but very real life situations in a gentle way that is easy for children to accept and believe. I like all of the little details in the book. Miles is always carrying around a book called, “Are You My Mother?” Lincoln’s mother gives him the name Lincoln Clinton Carter Kenndy because she desperately wants him to be president. The irony is that Lincoln’s obsession is knot-tying. Lucky’s fair hair, skin, and features make her literally blend in with her surroundings. She applies mineral oil to her eyebrows to make them glisten, so that at least one feature will stand out. I think Lucky is a little girl with lots of questions, like many pre-teen girls. The book explores how she sets out to find the answers.
