By Susan Patron
Published by Simon & Shuster Children's Publishing Division
Copyright 2006
Reading Level: Lexile 1010L, reading level 5.5
Vocabulary: splendiferous (2), antivenom (4), crevices (6), capillaries (17), enzymes (19), pension (23), inventory (26), commodities (35), secretions (68)
Awards: John Newbery Medal 2007
"Lucky, age ten, can't wait another day. The meanness gland in her heart and the crevices full of questions in her brain make running away from Hard Pan, California (population 43), the rock-bottom only choice she has.
It's all Brigitte's fault — for wanting to go back to France. Guardians are supposed to stay put and look after girls in their care! Instead Lucky is sure that she'll be abandoned to some orphanage in Los Angeles where her beloved dog, HMS Beagle, won't be allowed. She'll have to lose her friends Miles, who lives on cookies, and Lincoln, future U.S. president (maybe) and member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers. Just as bad, she'll have to give up eavesdropping on twelve-step anonymous programs where the interesting talk is all about Higher Powers. Lucky needs her own — and quick.
But she hadn't planned on a dust storm.
Or needing to lug the world's heaviest survival-kit backpack into the desert."- Powell's Books
This book is comforting, smooth, endearing, believeable, and colorful story. Susan Patron has highlighted the surrounding characters so each one stands alone, but also helps define, strengthen, and deeply connect the reader to Lucky.
Pre-Reading Activity: Before reading the story, students can have a class discussion with the teacher about what the students think a Higer Power is. The teacher can mentioned how during the story Lucky is searching for a Higher Power and students can have an opinionated talk with the teacher about what looking for a Higher Power means to them.
During Reading Activity: As students read the story, the can ask themselves the questions included on a "Higher Power of Lucky" bookmark provided for each student.
Post Reading Activity: After reading the story, the students can discuss in groups of 2-3 what the story would be like if Lincoln was no longer a character. Students can discuss how the story would change and how that would make them feel.
Writing Activity: Students can answer the following question in a few paragraphs, "Do you think Lucky could solve her problem in another way? What do you think would be a better plan than running away?" This assignment can be collected and used as an assessment of the students' understanding of the novel.
Electronic Resources:
This website The International Guild of Knot
Tyers (of which Lincoln was one of the youngest
members) has a Beginners section which shows
pictures and names of various types of knots and
provides instructions for tying them. This can
give students an idea for what Lincoln was
interested in.
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