Lucky is convinced that once she finds out how to obtain the Higher Power, all her problems will be over. . Eastman. Ironically, the author probably chose the clinical term on purpose to avoid trouble, since the significantly rough-around-the-edges character who tells the story would almost certainly phrase it quite differently had he been a flesh and blood figure, but what can you do?

by Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books. The main character, Lucky, was quirky and intelligent and her adventures were entertaining and ultimately heartwarming. I do like that Brigitte is French. After listening in on 12-step programs for various addictions, Lucky seeks to find her higher power. I didn't. The Higher Power of Lucky is a children's novel written by Susan Patron and illustrated by Matt Phelan. (By the way, in case you're wondering why it was challenged, the whole basis was the author's use of the word "scrotum," a perfectly legitimate anatomical word used correctly in a non-threatening context. Published by Simon & Schuster in 2006, the story focuses on the adventures of irrepressible ten-year-old Lucky Trimble as she attempts to find some semblance of family and faith in the remote California desert town of Hard Pan. The plot is contrived and liberally glazed with sentimentality. Reading this book was like eating raw broccoli. Not many authors succeed to come close to this benchmark, but Susan Patron comes very close; very, very close indeed. ( Log Out /  Although Lucky loves living in Hard Pan, she quickly becomes afraid that Brigitte, who originates from France, will leave her and return to her home.

When she fears that guardian Brigette wants to leave her and return to France, Lucky runs away to find her higher power. This Newbery Award winner was a really sweet book. by P.D. When they come out, Lucky, who has never been able to let go of the urn with her mother’s ashes in it, decides it is time to scatter them to the wind.

If it hadn't been, I might never have found it. I did enjoy this book, though I didn't think it necessarily merited a Newberry. Also, I found the book to be a b. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The conflict is resolved in pretty much the way I’d expected, but it was still very sweet and comforting.

Summary Lucky is a young girl who lives with her guardian, Brigitte, in a tiny, California desert town named Hard Pan. Illustrator: Matt Phelan Ten year old Lucky struggles to find her place. This is one Newbery winner that definitely earned the distinction! THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY (Genre: Fiction/Young Adult) Bibliographic Data Title: The Higher Power of Lucky Author: Susan Patron Illustrator: Matt Phelan Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publication Date: February 2007 ISBN: 9781416901945 Plot Summary: Lucky, a ten-year-old girl, struggles with her life in Hard Pan, California. Her stepmother is French, and misses her own mother and home. On her way, however, she stumbles upon Miles desperately trying to shelter himself from the storm and brings him with her because he has stepped on a cactus and cannot walk. As the library's Juvenile Materials Collection Development Manager, she trained and mentored children's librarians in 72 branches.

This book reminded me a lot of the books I used to love as a kid, like, I’m not sure what can be said about this that hasn’t already been said—it’s a good book, a very pretty book, somewhat atmospheric, in its way. The hot California desert is not th. Not many authors succeed to come close to this benchmark, but. The benchmark, for me, was set by Kate DiCamillo (almost all of her books) and Suzanne Collins (The Underland Chronicles). And for a plot so blatantly convenient--the conveniences could at least be a smidge more believable. Ironically, the author probably chose the clinical term on purpose to avoid trouble, since the significantly rough-around-the-edges character who tells the story would almost certainly phrase it quite differently had he been a flesh and blood figure, but what can you do? I thought this book was tender and poignant, and the characters, particularly Lucky, were very sympathetic and three-dimensional. Response This concept fascinates Lucky, and she always tries to think of how to discover her own Higher Power. Start by marking “The Higher Power of Lucky (The Hard Pan Trilogy, #1)” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Everyone's life story has the capacity to guide someone else who is searching for a thread of reason through their own. “Because sometimes Lucky wanted to change everything, all the bad things that had happened, and sometimes she wanted everything to stay the same forever.”, “It made her feel discouraged, like if you took the word apart into two sections of dis and couraged. The Higher Power of Lucky is a children's novel by American author Susan Patron, featuring illustrations by Matt Phelan.

Lucky becomes anxiety ridden because she believes that this situation is only temporary. Lucky spends m, I primarily chose to read this book because it has been challenged in school libraries.

Lucky’s accurate representation may be one of the reasons why her character annoyed me to some extent. What I've found is that lately I have been less than impressed with the winning titles.

Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Leave this one on the shelf, it stinks. The town, Hard Pan, has a population of 43, and the characters presented are as colorful and endearing as aspiring scientist Lucky. As silly as this is, I feel like I have. Welcome back. Brigette, her father's exwife, leaves her home in France to take care of her. In all, though, an excellent story that deals subtly yet astutely in themes of class difference, friendship, death and loss, sadness and kindness. Believing that her French guardian is about to abandon her to an orphanage in the city, ten-year-old Lucky runs away from her small town with her beloved dog by her side in order to trek across the Mojave Desert in this Newbery Medal–winning novel from Susan Patron. 3-5 V. Genre. This book may ring a bell because of the laughable controversy stirred up over the use of the word "scrotum" in a blink-and-you'll-miss it reference about a snake biting someone's pet dog. So, I had to force myself through half the book before I started actually enjoying it and I really doubt a child has enough will power to reach that point.

A little girl who searches (as a classmate of mine eloquently phrased it) for "something bigger than herself" in the somewhat barren world of Flat Pan seems like plot gold, but a good idea executed this ineffectively is still a problem. She wishes she could have Brigette stay with her, but she knows she misses France. But there’s not a lot of action. However, I still think it could have been done better. I mean, there are 43--people are they all alcoholic, smoking, gambling addicts? To be perfectly honest, most kids' books do not grab me or portray any life lessons, but there are some exceptional authors out there that I praise whenever i have the chance.

Also I'm a sucker for heartfelt endings and I'm not ashamed to admit a lot of books make me cry. Published Feb. 18, 2007", "Are some words off-limits in children's books?

This books poor attempt at that left me disappointed more so then emotional. Assuming that Brigitte is leaving her, Lucky decides to run away.

Lucky is a young girl who lives with her guardian, Brigitte, in a tiny, California desert town named Hard Pan. I found it difficult, at first, not to pathologize the behavior of each character. The main character, Lucky, was quirky and intelligent and her adventures were entertaining and ultimately heartwarming.

Lucky refuses and heads off to the old desert dugouts in the middle of the storm. ), My elder daughter and I went to a book reading by Susan Patron this evening which inspired me to finally write a review of. Lucky begins to love her life again, and finds that she no longer needs tips about how to find her Higher Power. Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers They huddle together until the storm subsides and everyone comes looking for them. This book was so much fun and very funny. Amidst these musings, Lucky explores her love of science and plays with her friends. On one hand I'm glad this book was so short because I couldn't stand reading any more of it, but on the other hand give us some depth. The third and final book in Lucky's Hard Pan Trilogy is Lucky For Good. Title: The Higher Power of Lucky Ten-year-old Lucky, who is intent upon seeking her Higher Power after overhearing people speak at AA meetings, determines that running away is the way to prevent her legal guardian, Brigitte, from abandoning her and returning home to France. Through this, we learn of Lucky’s struggle with her mother’s death and her fear that she will have to go to a foster home with no one to take care of her. In this particular case, I think it worked better than, say, Criss Cross, because THPOL really is about being in a town that’s perfectly happy with the status quo.

I just started listening to another Newbery book, A Wrinkle in Time," and in the introduction, the author comments that adults don't understand this book, but children "get it." Lucky Breaks includes Lucky's eleventh birthday, and the introduction of another friend in her world. The group is speaking about an elusive mystery called the "Higher Power." Also I'm a sucker for heartfelt endings and I'm not ashamed to admit a lot of books make. They take shelter in the dugouts near an abandoned mine and wait out the storm. It’s another in the Newbery committee’s standards: a book with a strong character who has some internal conflict, but not a whole lot happens externally. Lucky has been abandoned before and sees her guardian’s homesickness for France as a sign that she will soon be abandoned again. You know it's good for you but you'd rather stop eating. But there’s not a lot of action. I've made it a habit to read the Newbery Medal winning books, and often I read the runners-up as well. Summary The benchmark, for me, was set by Kate DiCamillo (almost all of her books) and Suzanne Collins (The Underland Chronicles). I say this realizing the intent of the prose--to channel a child's voice and often fluid and imaginative thought process without succumbing to a traditional style of narrative. I did enjoy this book, though I didn't think it necessarily merited a Newberry. (I now maintain a blog just for my kid-lit reviews.