The Thing about Luck

The winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, from Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata. There is bad luck, good luck, and making your own luck--which is exactly what Summer must do to save her family.

Summer knows that kouun means "good luck" in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan--right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother, Jaz, are left in the care of their grandparents, who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills.

The thing about Obaachan and Jiichan is that they are old-fashioned and demanding, and between helping Obaachan cook for the workers, covering for her when her back pain worsens, and worrying about her lonely little brother, Summer just barely has time to notice the attentions of their boss's cute son. But notice she does, and what begins as a welcome distraction from the hard work soon turns into a mess of its own.

Having thoroughly disappointed her grandmother, Summer figures the bad luck must be finished--but then it gets worse. And when that happens, Summer has to figure out how to change it herself, even if it means further displeasing Obaachan. Because it might be the only way to save her family.

Cynthia Kadohata's ode to the breadbasket of America has received six starred reviews and was selected as a National Book Award Finalist.

Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 06/04/2013
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.69lbs
Size: 7.20h x 5.88w x 0.94d
ISBN: 9781416918820
Audience: Young Adult

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.7
Point Value: 7
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 160447 / Thing about Luck


Award: National Book Awards - Winner
Award: Parents Choice Awards (Fall) (2008-Up) - Silver Medal Winner
Award: Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award - Nominee
Award: Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - Recommended
Award: Keystone to Reading Book Award - Nominee
Award: Land of Enchantment Book Award - Nominee
Award: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award - Nominee
Award: Sasquatch Award - Nominee
Award: Volunteer State Book Awards - Nominee


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 04/01/2013 pg. 47
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2013
Publishers Weekly 04/22/2013
Voice of Youth Advocates 06/01/2013 - Recommended - Better Than Most
School Library Journal 06/01/2013 pg. 128
Shelf Awareness 06/07/2013
New York Times Book Review 06/16/2013 pg. 21
Horn Book Magazine 07/01/2013 pg. 133
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 09/01/2013
PW Best Children's Books 11/11/2013 pg. 24
Kirkus Best Middle Grade Books 11/15/2013 pg. 78
SLJ's Best Books 12/01/2013 pg. 36
Booklist Ed Choice Youth 01/01/2014 pg. 15
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2013 pg. 82 - Outstanding, Noteworthy In Style

About the Author
Cynthia Kadohata is the author of the Newbery Medal-winning book Kira-Kira, the National Book Award winner The Thing About Luck, the Jane Addams Peace Award and PEN America Award winner Weedflower, Cracker!, Outside Beauty, A Million Shades of Gray, Half a World Away, Checked, A Place to Belong, Saucy, and several critically acclaimed adult novels, including The Floating World. She lives with her dog and hockey-playing son in California. Visit her online at CynthiaKadohata.com.

Julia Kuo is the creator of 20 Ways to Draw a Cat and 44 Other Awesome Animals as well as the charming board book Everyone Eats. Julia also created the cover and interior artwork for Newbery Medal-winning author Cynthia Kadohata's The Thing About Luck and Place to Belong and New York Times bestselling author Jenny Han's Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream. She lives in Chicago. Find out more online at JuliaKuo.com.