Patron, Susan.
THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006.
IL 3-6, RL 5.8
ISBN 1416901949

(2 booktalks)

Life is not easy in Hard Pan, population 43.  Lucky is 10 years old and is living with a guardian.  Her mom has died and her dad doesn't want to take care of her.  So she is living with her dad's first wife who has come from France to take care of Lucky.  But it is a temporary arrangement.  Every day Lucky sees how much Brigitte misses her life in France.  Lucky has a part-time job to help pay the bills.  She cleans up after an assortment of "Anonymous" meetings.  You know, Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous.  Through eavesdropping on the meetings, she becomes convinced that she must find her own higher power in order to find true happiness.  Be sure not to miss this 2007 Newbery Award winner.

Booktalk #2

Life can sometimes seem 'out of control' for ten year old Lucky growing up in Hard Pan, California-population 43.  Growing up without her parents is hard enough but Lucky is convinced that her one and only legal guardian is planning to desert her in some orphanage in Los Angeles and then return to her home in France.  After eavesdropping on some twelve step programs Lucky hears about how everyone's life changed after they found their 'higher power'.  Lucky is certain that if she could find her 'higher power' then she would be guided in the right direction.  Read the Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron, and join Lucky on her scientific adventures with her friends and join her on her journey to discover her 'higher power'.  See what happens when Lucky decides to run away and heads smack dab into the middle of a massive dust storm.  Will Lucky finally find what she's been searching for? Will her fears come true? Read this outstanding story to find out.  (Holly Arnett,  HL-Arnett@wiu.edu, college student)