  | Lizzy and the good luck girl Author: Lubner, Susan | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
Twelve-year-old Lizzy Sherman believes there are signs everywhere that can help her keep her family safe, so when she begins helping a runaway girl her own age--a stranger to their small town in Maine--Lizzy hopes that she, too, can protect Lizzy's family.
Reviews:
School Library Journal (00/10/18)
Booklist (11/01/18)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 10/01/2018 Gr 3–5—Twelve-year-old Lizzy and her best friend Joss meet a runaway in an abandoned house. A firm believer in signs since a car accident two years ago, Lizzy invites Charlotte into her room when she spots a tiny four leaf clover on her hand. Lubner offers a tale with both humor and heartache: a project to knit cat sweaters benefiting a local shelter unexpectedly produces a runaway rebel and Lizzy's thematic sandwich creations amuse. Although somewhat simplistically resolved, especially given the age of the characters, the poignant issues of Charlotte's separating parents and Lizzy's mother's depression at the loss of their baby in the accident bring depth. Short sentences and delightful details create a similar air to recent quirky classics such as Sheila Turnage's Three Times Lucky. The cast of all-white characters might be typical of a small Maine town outside of Portland but feels a bit too conventional. VERDICT A lightweight piece of contemporary realism with atmospheric writing.—Erin Reilly-Sanders, University of Wisconsin-Madison - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 11/01/2018 After a tragic car accident causes her mother to miscarry, Lizzy starts looking everywhere for signs. Signs help her prepare for what’s coming, so she’s never taken by surprise again. When Lizzy and her best friend find a missing girl hiding in an abandoned apartment, Lizzy takes it as a good sign because the girl, Charlotte, has a four-leaf clover tattooed on her hand. Surely this must mean Lizzy’s mother’s new pregnancy will end well. Lizzy tries to keep Charlotte, a runaway, a secret, while dealing with a lot of emotional anxiety over the fact that her mom fell into a deep depression after losing the other baby. Lizzy slowly comes to an understanding that signs can’t fix everything and that life is messy and unpredictable. While not offering a deep discussion of mental health, Lizzy’s search for signs may be something anxious kids relate to and will hopefully inspire them to reach out to those around them. A good conversation starter for discussions on emotional and mental wellness. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.
