The Higher Power of Lucky

Title: The Higher Power of Lucky
Author: Susan Patron
Illustrator: Matt Phelan
ISBN: 1-4169-0194-9
Format: Chapter Book
Pages: 134 pgs.
Awards: Newbery Medal


Review: Lucky is a 10-year-old girl who has lost her mother in an accident and is being raised by her father's first wife, Brigitte. Her father never wanted to have kids, but supports the two of them financially. They live in a small Californian desert town called Hard Pan, population 43. Throughout the book Lucky is trying to find what the anonymous meetings she eavesdrops on have already found, her higher power. She struggles with her place in life. She wonders is Brigitte, her legal guardian, really has plans to move back to France. She fears being an orphan. Throughout the book she does a little soul searching, decides to run away, and finds in the end that her perceptions of reality might be a little off. Does she ever find her higher power or become an orphan? Reading the story is the only way to find out. This book is a very motivating and heartwarming story for any pre-teen. Even though Lucky is only a 10 year old protagonist, she deals with issues that many teenagers do not have to deal with and she is quite mature and experienced for her age. Her attitude and actions are inspiration for a younger audience and while most tweens may not be in a similar situation as Lucky, her character brings out a friend in us all.