the higher power of lucky

the higher power of lucky by Susan Patron

I do not usually review children’s books. But this book would be such a great book to read out loud to your children. Once that is you have gotten past the dog being bitten in the scrotum by the rattlesnake and the necessity of explaining exactly where that is. I say that just to get it out of the way.

Lucky’s mom died. She and her dog HMS Beagle (who isn’t a Beagle, Lucky just admires Darwin) are struggling to find her “higher power” in Hard Pan, California, population 43. Lucky knows that people find their “higher power” since she has one of the three paying jobs in Hard Pan. Lucky cleans up after the various 12 step programs that meet in town and listens (through a knot hole) to the people’s stories about their lowest moments and how they found their higher power. Did I mention that Lucky is only 10 and is currently living with her father’s first wife, a French woman named Brigette who flew from France to take care of her. Lucky has never met her father who divorced both his wives because he did not want children. I do not want to say another word about this book because this is a book to read out loud. It is filled with wonderful, unforgettable people and an ending so joyous you will want to read it again soon.

Eliza