The Higher Power of Lucky

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The Higher Power of Lucky
Cover
Author	Susan Patron
Illustrator	Matt Phelan
Cover artist	Matt Phelan
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Children's novel
Publisher	Simon & Schuster
Publication date	2006
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	144 pp
ISBN	ISBN 1416901949

The Higher Power of Lucky is a children's novel written by Susan Patron and illustrated by Matt Phelan. Released in 2006 by Simon & Schuster, it was awarded the 2007 Newbery Medal.^[1]

[edit] Plot summary

The novel features Lucky, a 10-year-old girl who lives in a small town named Hard Pan (population 43) with her two friends Lincoln and Miles in the California desert. After her mother died two years ago, her father called upon his ex-wife, Brigitte, to come to the United States from France to take care of Lucky. Lucky fears that Brigitte is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan. Her experiences lead her to believe that Brigitte will abandon her and return to France. This anxiety prompts Lucky to seek help from her "Higher Power", a notion she gets from eavesdropping at her town's 12-step meetings. She runs away with her dog, HMS Beagle and realizes she needs to come back home. Before she leaves the dugouts she blows here mothers remains out in the wind.

[edit] Controversy

Controversy has arisen over the book due to the use of the word "scrotum" on its first page. A number of school libraries have decided to ban or otherwise censor the book according to a New York Times article.^[2] While some accuse the author of attempting "Howard Stern-type shock treatment", author Susan Patron described the passage in question as being based on her personal knowledge of a rattlesnake biting a dog's scrotum, as well as an explanation of anatomy for readers 9 to 12 years old. She appeared on NPR's Talk of the Nation to defend her choice of words.^[3].

The American Library Association responded to the NYT article with a statement regarding the value of the book.^[4] The authors of the three Newbery Honor books, Cynthia Lord, Jennifer Holm, and Kirby Larson also supported the "scrotum" usage.^[5] The story gained further exposure when the blogosphere chimed in.^[6]^[7] Kristen McLean, executive director of the Association of Booksellers for Children, provided the industry's response.^[8]

Simon & Schuster have posted a video on their website where Patron discusses the book and her influences in an interview by fellow Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata. In this video Rick Richter, President and Publisher of the Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, states "Simon & Schuster ultimately hopes that readers will recognize this wonderful book as a whole, and the charm and innocence of its main character Lucky, and will see beyond one word and the controversy surrounding the book. Susan Patron has written a masterful novel celebrating small town values and we can only hope that her deserved Newbery winner is recognized for the treasure that it truly is."^[9]