The Higher Power of Lucky

Written by Susan Patron

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2006

“Being ten and a half, Lucky felt like she had no control over her life – partly because she wasn’t grown up yet – but that if she found her Higher Power it would guide her in the right direction.” (5)

Summary: Lucky, ten years old and full of questions, is searching for her Higher Power. Lucky spends her days collecting specimens in the desert, eavesdropping on Anonymous meetings, and preparing a survival backpack, in case she finds herself left alone. An orphan after her mother died, Lucky is looked after by her Guardian, Brigitte. But one day when Lucky finds Brigitte’s bags packed, she decides that running away is her only choice. But as Lucky and her dog HMS Beagle venture into the desert during a dust storm, Lucky’s plan is derailed. Will she find her Higher Power? Will she ever be more than just a girl with a Guardian?

Awards and Acclaim:

• 2007 Newbery Award Winner
• "Lucky's mix of meanness and big-heartedness makes her a multi-dimensional character whose predicament is compelling." Children's Literature

Reading Level: Lexile Framework: 1010L Grade Level: 5

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read

Description: Fiction, Chapter-book, Award-Winner

Key Vocabulary (by page number): eavesdropping (1), envisioned (13), specimen (26), rummaging (54), surplus (57), essential (75), insight (79), discouraged (107), adaptable (118)

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Before presenting this book to a class, read up on the controversy surrounding the novel. One word in particular (“scrotum” on page 1) has created a lot of buzz and likewise has caused many readers, parents and critics to criticize the novel. See the article link below in “Electronic Resources” for more information.
2. Lucky often mentions Charles Darwin in the story. Before his name comes up in the novel, take time to discuss with students who he was and what he did. Give students a brief overview of Darwin’s life, work and ideas, or let them research this on their own!
3. Lucky is an adventurous girl with a lot of questions! She ponders complex concepts like “Hitting rock bottom”, “a Higher Power”, “her meanness gland”, “her brain crevices”, etc. While or after reading, ask students to think about what these complex ideas mean to them. Emphasize that abstract topics such as these can have different meanings to everyone. What are some things that your students wonder about the world around them? How do they attempt to answer these complex questions?

Comprehension Strategies:

Before Reading: The setting (a desert mining town in California) is a very important part of this story. Before reading, have students research the types of wildlife, plant life, climate, landscape, etc. that exist in Californian deserts. Students should create a type of profile of how they think the setting of the novel will be. Then, students should brainstorm how the setting may affect the lives of the people who live there. How would the weather, location, wildlife, landscape, etc. of a harsh desert change the lifestyles of people who live there? Students may want to consider this setting in comparison to where they are used to living.

During Reading: Patron uses a lot of Tier III vocabulary words in her novel that students may be unfamiliar with. Students should keep a vocabulary journal while reading.  Ask students to write down words they have not seen before or do not know the meaning of and their respective page numbers. When students come to a stopping point (for example, at the end of each chapter), they should look up the definition of the words they have written down. Then, they should go back and re-read the sentence the word was used in. For further enrichment, hold a brief discussion with the class during which students share the words they found, their definitions and ask each other if anyone else wrote down the same words. You can even create a word wall with this new vocabulary!

After Reading: After reading, divide students into small groups and give each group a piece of paper with a different aspect of Lucky’s life written on it. Some examples are “Lucky’s house”, “Lucky’s town”, “Lucky’s family”, “Lucky’s friends”, etc. Students should compile a list of features of this topic, organized in any format they like (a Venn Diagram, T-chart, written paragraphs or even an artistic display).  Once put all together, this will create a sort of character profile for the class. Discuss the completed character profile. Then, ask students to individually brainstorm ways in which their life is similar to and different from Lucky’s life. They should record these ideas in a similar fashion.

Writing Activity: After reading, students will be provided with a writing prompt about Lucky’s Higher Power. An example of such a prompt can be, “Throughout the story, Lucky is searching for her Higher Power. What does this term mean to Lucky? What does this term mean to you? Do you think Lucky found her Higher Power by the end of the story?” Encourage students to discuss their ideas with classmates before and/or after their response. 

Electronic Resources:

Controversy  A New York Times article about the controversy surrounding the novel.

Teacher's Guide Taken from Susan Patron’s website, this teacher’s guide provides additional ideas for discussion topics, writing prompts, art and science projects. 

Patron, S. (2006). The Higher Power of Lucky. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers