Feeling Lucky?

Today, Simon & Schuster releases the sequel to the 2007 Newbery award winner, The Higher Power of Lucky. This novel, entitled Lucky Breaks, picks up shortly after the first story ends. Lucky is very nearly eleven years old, she has finally been adopted by her former guardian, Brigitte, and she is ready for some excitement. Unfortunately, she still lives in Hard Pan, population 43, and between coaching Brigitte on how to be American and sabotaging her best friend's potential opportunity to leave town, Lucky finds real excitement hard to come by. When Paloma, a pretty, funny girl just Lucky's age turns up at Brigitte's new cafe, Lucky can't help but see signs that things are changing. But change never comes in the form that we expect.

Author Susan Patron has created a very real character, full of the conflicting wonder, anger, and hope that marks the beginning of a child's transformation into adulthood. Readers young and old can't help but fall into Lucky's story, laughing when she laughs and worrying when she missteps.

Susan Patron also gives great interviews! She was kind enough to grant one to me. Here's an excerpt:

It took me a long time to find the heart of Lucky's story; I couldn't figure out what was driving the book. My mother's death in 2003 sideswiped me; it knocked me over, but at the same time it made me understand the feelings that give life to Lucky. I hope young readers will come away from the book with a feeling of hope, a sense that we human beings can redeem ourselves, an understanding that love is the answer.

Interested? Want to hear the rest? Want a link to information about the author's book tour? Read more...