The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry

Lucy, a spirited French-Ojibwe orphan, is sent to the stormy waters of Lake Superior to live with a mysterious family of lighthouse-keepers--and, she hopes, to find the legendary necklace her father spent his life seeking...

Selena Lucy Landry (named for a ship, as every sailor's child should be) has been frightened of the water ever since she lost her father at sea. But with no one else to care for her, she's sent to foster with the Martins--a large Anishinaabe family living on a lighthouse in the middle of stormy Lake Superior.

The Martin family is big, hard-working, and close, and Lucy--who has always been a dreamer--struggles to fit in. Can she go one day without ruining the laundry or forgetting the sweeping? Will she ever be less afraid of the lake?

Although life at the lighthouse isn't what Lucy hoped for, it is beautiful--ships come and go, waves pound the rocks--and it has one major advantage: It's near the site of a famous shipwreck, a shipwreck that went down with a treasure her father wanted more than anything. If Lucy can find that treasure--a priceless ruby necklace--won't it be like having Papa back again, just a little bit?

But someone else is hunting for the treasure, too. And as the lighthouse company becomes increasingly skeptical that the Martins can juggle Lucy and their duties, Lucy and the Martin children will need to find the necklace quickly--or they may not have a home at all.

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry is a timelessly sweet tale of found family from rising Ojibwe voice Anna Rose Johnson, author of NPR Best Book of the Year The Star That Always Stays. Perfect for fans of L.M. Montgomery and Karina Yan Glaser!

"Lucy Landry is a charming and fanciful heroine reminiscent of Anne Shirley, who reminds us that even in dark times, we can be a light for others."--Alyssa Colman, author of Bank Street Best Book of the Year The Gilded Girl

"HEARTWARMING."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"TENDER... WHOLESOME."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"UNIQUE."--Youth Services Book Review, starred review

Author: Anna Rose Johnson
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 03/05/2024
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.66lbs
Size: 8.35h x 5.43w x 0.94d
ISBN: 9780823453634
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.8
Point Value: 8
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 555118 / Luminous Life of Lucy Landry


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/08/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 02/01/2024
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2024
Booklist 01/31/2024
School Library Journal 02/01/2024 pg. 94

About the Author
Anna Rose Johnson is a journalist, blogger, and seasoned correspondent for Inside Gymnastics. Anna is passionate about historical fiction, the Native experience, and writing for children. She is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; her debut, The Star That Always Stays (an NPR Best Book of the Year), is directly based on her great-grandmother. Find her at annarosejohnson.com.