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Review: Lucky Strikes by Louis Bayard

Book Review and Content, Coming of Age, Historical, , , , , ,

Lucky Strikes by Louis BayardLucky Strikes
Louis Bayard
Henry Holt and Co Books for Young Readers
Available July 5, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Fourteen year-old Amelia’s mother dies, leaving her and two siblings alone in the world. Amelia’s determined to run the family gas station and keep her siblings together until she comes of age. When the town learns of her mother’s death, Amelia and her siblings face being split up in foster care, and Harvey Blevins, who owns all the other gas stations in the area, sees the chance to snatch that last station he covets. What she needs is a parent figure, and the moment the bum falls off a coal wagon, she hatches a plan. If he’ll pose as her father, she can keep the family together and Mr. Blevins from stealing her mother’s legacy.

From the first to the last lines of the story, the strong sense of voice rings clear and never falters. Bayard captures the rugged poverty of a rural southern town in the 1940s with perfect clarity. As the plot unfolds, the tension builds and Harvey Blevins is driven to more and more extreme measures in his attempt to crush Amelia’s strong spirit and muscle the last independent gas station in the region into his own pocket. Lucky Strikes is ultimately an inspirational battle of wills between a rich, powerful man and a fierce young girl. As Amelia learns to embrace who she is and fight for her family, the community begins to respond to her courage. The story reminds us that sometimes the battles hardest won are themselves not the real victory because what’s gained when family and community pull together is a far greater, richer reward.

This was a hard book to classify. Amelia’s age makes her a young protagonist for the young adult genre, but the heavy content and strong language leave it decidedly beyond middle grade readership. If hard-pressed, I might label it as coming-of-age, though Amelia still feels like a young person in many ways even at the end of the story.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
Amelia hears rumors about her mother being promiscuous. The source appears to be more from dislike or lack of understanding of Amelia’s mom because she was such an unusual person. Hiram disappears some nights and returns in the mornings. Amelia believes he’s spending nights with a woman companion. Amelia shares fervent kisses with a boy.

Spiritual Content
At one point, the town refers to Amelia’s family as pagans. Her mother embraces the jab so that it becomes a family joke. Hiram brings a fortune teller to town to stir up interest and business.

Violent Content
A fire starts in an occupied building. Someone fires shots at Amelia and her family.

Drug Content
A drunk fortune teller stays with Amelia’s family and offers her services to the townspeople for a day.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Counting by 7s
Holly Goldberg Sloan
Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Group
Published August 29, 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

A car accident changes everything for Willow, a twelve year-old prodigy. Her family is gone and she is at the mercy of the state’s resources for childcare. As she pulls together the paths of her life that have led her to this tragedy, she reaches out to the only friend she has: a young Vietnamese girl whose brother shares the same guidance counselor as Willow does.

Mai convinces her mother to care for the girl and fight for long-term custody. At first, the sole proprietor of a nail salon resists her daughter’s urging, but she can’t help but be captured by Willow’s grief and loneliness. Together she and the guidance counselor, Mr. Dell Duke, weave a web of support around the lost but brilliant girl and the loose association quickly becomes a community which, like Willow’s incredible public garden project, grows into a family.

Willow’s stunning and awkward brilliance sets her apart from other kids. Where her parents nurtured and understood her quirks and intelligence, much of the rest of the world seems intimidated and annoyed by it. Willow struggles to cope by digging deeper into knowledge, her one comfort.

While she often fumbles through social situations, Willow is deeply self-aware. She often recognizes when she offends her companions and quickly works to right the situation. Her awkwardness is so endearing and her desire to please and earn affection can’t help but charm even the hardest hearts, but her social awareness almost makes her too perfect. A struggle to correct or repair the fallout of failed social moments may have provided additional conflict and character development as well as an essential, though admittedly predictable flaw.

The story itself is filled with warmth and realism without losing itself to controversial language or situations. The protagonist’s youth recommends her to younger readers, but the complexity of the characters’ relationships makes this a valuable read for both middle school and high school students. Counting by 7s reminds us of the power of community and in caring for one another, regardless of family connections or racial differences. This is a book not to be missed.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None, though at the end of the story, two adult characters make plans to live together unmarried.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

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