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A review by lovegirl30
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
3.0
Previously posted on The Young Girl Who Loved Books
Mixed feelings about this book. On one had it is incredibly inappropriate for kids. On the other hand, it has a powerful story that could help children.
It should be noted that this was a book I picked up on a whim from the early reader's section, in the children's section, of a library. So it is like geared for a younger crowd. With that said I must put a disclaimer that this book deals with some pretty adult topics. Very graphic details of a dog biting a mans scrotum, very descriptive acholic anonymous meetings. I feel like this is a book that parents should read first.
This book had so much promise to me. When I read the back, I felt a tug in my heart for this girl. Lucky is an eleven-year-old living with her French guardian. She believes that this woman is about to abandon her. This is a feeling that I had growing up in foster care, and carried into being adopted. I felt as if I could understand what this fictional little girl was going through. I wanted to save her almost. She believes she is going to go to an orphanage, she feels like a burden.
For me, the primary issue in this book is that Lucky changes in this book, like in a significant way. It isn't a good change either. She goes from an adorable heroine, who is super likable, intelligent, and witty to a mean, bratty child at the very end. It is a shocking turn of events.
Secondly while childhood logic can be very lacking, I don't think any child who is so survival-minded and an educated nature lover would choose to run away in the middle of a dangerous sandstorm. The author her took her from a smart and witty girl to an emotionally driven child. It was hardly believable, nor entertaining. Another failure in logic is why a person is thinking about opening a cafe in a town where people live on government supplied food, no one has jobs, or they are disabled. What are they going to purchase this lovely french food with? All their pretend monopoly money. It just doesn't make sense.
I enjoyed the setting and location though. I thought the little small town of Hard Pan, was a clever little spot to have a story in. I thought the people were insane but not overly so. I think that it was described in a way that made you believe that this could be a real town. I liked the quirkiness of the location.
I am glad it had a good ending though. I think that is the only reason this book isn't receiving a one-star review from me.
Overall, I just can't understand why this book won the Newbery. Perhaps it was the wild publicity it had. Or the blowback for the use of the word "scrotum." I feel like this isn't a book I will be recommending to any child or adult. It is a hard pass for me.
Mixed feelings about this book. On one had it is incredibly inappropriate for kids. On the other hand, it has a powerful story that could help children.
It should be noted that this was a book I picked up on a whim from the early reader's section, in the children's section, of a library. So it is like geared for a younger crowd. With that said I must put a disclaimer that this book deals with some pretty adult topics. Very graphic details of a dog biting a mans scrotum, very descriptive acholic anonymous meetings. I feel like this is a book that parents should read first.
This book had so much promise to me. When I read the back, I felt a tug in my heart for this girl. Lucky is an eleven-year-old living with her French guardian. She believes that this woman is about to abandon her. This is a feeling that I had growing up in foster care, and carried into being adopted. I felt as if I could understand what this fictional little girl was going through. I wanted to save her almost. She believes she is going to go to an orphanage, she feels like a burden.
For me, the primary issue in this book is that Lucky changes in this book, like in a significant way. It isn't a good change either. She goes from an adorable heroine, who is super likable, intelligent, and witty to a mean, bratty child at the very end. It is a shocking turn of events.
Secondly while childhood logic can be very lacking, I don't think any child who is so survival-minded and an educated nature lover would choose to run away in the middle of a dangerous sandstorm. The author her took her from a smart and witty girl to an emotionally driven child. It was hardly believable, nor entertaining. Another failure in logic is why a person is thinking about opening a cafe in a town where people live on government supplied food, no one has jobs, or they are disabled. What are they going to purchase this lovely french food with? All their pretend monopoly money. It just doesn't make sense.
I enjoyed the setting and location though. I thought the little small town of Hard Pan, was a clever little spot to have a story in. I thought the people were insane but not overly so. I think that it was described in a way that made you believe that this could be a real town. I liked the quirkiness of the location.
I am glad it had a good ending though. I think that is the only reason this book isn't receiving a one-star review from me.
Overall, I just can't understand why this book won the Newbery. Perhaps it was the wild publicity it had. Or the blowback for the use of the word "scrotum." I feel like this isn't a book I will be recommending to any child or adult. It is a hard pass for me.