The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron - 2007 Newbery Medal Winner

I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive about reading children's books, mostly because it has been so long since I have read things like this. I read to my son a lot, but they are very basic books that are mostly filled with colorful pictures and not much writing! I must say that I was pleasantly surprised after reading The Higher Power of Lucky. This book was written by Susan Patron and included some black and white illustrations by Matt Phelan. The writing and illustrations were both well done, with the illustrations being fairly sparse throughout the book. They did, however, help paint a picture in my mind of the characters.

This book is about Lucky, a ten year old girl whose mother died and whose father is no where to be found. She has a guardian named Brigitte, a young woman from France who was her father's first wife. Lucky has a great friend named Lincoln, who is being groomed to become the President of the United States (hence the name Lincoln). They live in a desolate town called Hard Pan, which is basically in the middle of nowhere, California. After finding some clues, Lucky is convinced Brigitte is going to leave to go back to France, leaving Lucky as a ward of the state. She decides to run away, only to find out that she read the clues all wrong.

As I was reading this book, my heart broke for Lucky. To be so young and vulnerable without her mother or father around must have been very difficult for her. The way Lucky describes Brigitte is a little misleading - she comes across as snooty and uncaring at first. At the end of the book, the reader sees that Brigitte really has a heart of gold, and is truly being the mother to Lucky that she needs.

While this has not been my favorite book that I have read, I did enjoy it and can see why it won the Newbery Medal. The book is slated for ages 9-11, but beware of some of the more mature words that are used, such as "scrotum." Most 9-11 year olds do not know what that is, and they may ask after reading this book! The way the story is told also reminded me how a child's mind works, and that sometimes the best intentions can be misread by a young mind.

Sources:

Patron, S. (2006). The higher power of Lucky. New York: Simon & Schuster.

www.barnesandnoble.com Image retrieved 2-18-08