The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

The Higher Power of Lucky is the tale of a young lady whose mother has died and whose father isn’t interested in being a part of her life. Lucky lives with her guardian, Brigitte, and her dog HMS Beagle. The book begins with Lucky eavesdropping on an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and immediately allows the reader to see into the mind of Lucky and to get a good idea of the type of life that she leads. The cast of characters are interesting individuals. Though none of the characters are perfect, every person in the town of Hard Pan, California seems to truly care about everyone else. Some of the occurrences and situations in the book could be viewed as depressing and disheartening. The overall feel of the book, however, is one of hopefulness and advancement.

Lucky is a wonderful character who has big dreams and loves to gain new knowledge. Her aspirations to become a world famous scientist are inspiring and aid in presenting many of her other positive character traits. Readers will find the title character to be brave, intelligent, and inspirational. Lucky is also a character for which the reader feels a strong sense of compassion. Her fear of being abandoned by Brigitte is excellently portrayed in the writing. This fear makes Lucky endearing to the reader and also adds a sense of suspense to the book. Lucky’s quest to find her own higher power is a journey that readers are sure to enjoy.

I had previously read that this book contained controversial content. After reading the book, I can see how some individuals would consider some of the subject matter of the book to be controversial. However, I do not think that the content is inappropriate for the age level for which the book is written. Some of the terms that are used in the book, such as scrotum, and some of the discussions about alcoholism and addiction are not included for shock value. These terms and issues are important elements of the story that open lines of communication about these subjects and allow young readers to have a better understanding of their worlds. I do think that it is important that a teacher, parent, or other adult discusses the issues that are presented with children as they are reading or after they have read the book.

I found this story to be a very pleasing reading experience. I like the fact that the book addresses issues that are a part of some children’s lives. Despite the imperfections of the characters and situations that are sometimes unfavorable, the novel presents a sense of hope and accomplishment in the face of adverse situations and demonstrates the value of community. Lucky’s tale is a true inspiration!

Patron, S. (2006). The higher power of Lucky. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Readers.

Newbery Award Winner