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Overview
There is bad luck, good luck, and making your own luck—which is exactly what Summer must do to save her family in this novel from Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata.
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.
Synopsis
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.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Sharp characterizations and descriptive details about modern farming invigorate Newbery Medalist Kadohata’s (Kira-Kira) funny and warm story about the Japanese-American daughter of migrant workers. Twelve-year-old Summer’s family has suffered a year of bad luck that included Summer’s near-fatal contraction of malaria and her parents’ departure to Japan to be with ailing relatives. In order to make ends meet, Summer’s grandparents come out of retirement to work for custom harvesters, which requires them to travel throughout the Midwest. Taking time off from school to accompany them, Summer reflects on her paranoia about mosquitoes, her lonely younger brother’s inability to make friends, and her annoyance at her sharp-tongued grandmother. During a time of crisis, however, Summer must set her concerns aside to rise to a challenge. Lively dialogue and a succinct narrative laced with humor effectively convey Summer’s emotions, observations, and courage. Readers will relate to her uncertainties and admire both her compassion and her work ethic. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10–14. Author’s agent: Gail Hochman, Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents. Illustrator’s agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. (June)Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com -
"Author Cynthia Kadohata does an excellent job of portraying the intensity of the lives of the farmers whose entire fortunes rest on their wheat crops being harvested at exactly the right point — when the grain is mature and tests at the ideal moisture content. Any delay in harvesting combined with an untimely rain can conceivably wipe out the crop and the farmers' future, and readers get an eyeful of the ridiculously long hours the custom combine operators are forced to work when rain is forecast in the too-near future.It clearly comes down to everybody working no matter what, or being out of a job.
What is most intense about the story is the position in which twelve year-old Summer finds herself. Having, myself, grown up an eldest child who worked alongside my parents, I well-remember what it is like to feel the need to take on adult worries and responsibilities at a young age. But I never faced the littlest fraction of what this girl on the cusp of adolescence is handed.
Summer's brother Jaz is a child with significant social challenges, being that he is developmentally somewhere on the autistic spectrum. Summer must always be a good big sister to him and be his support system. Her grandmother has a severe chronic back condition on top of sometimes being prickly and often being difficult to understand. When the situation arises, Summer must be able to immediately prepare the meals for the crew by herself and smooth over the tensions that arise. Then, when her grandfather becomes seriously ill just at the time when the crew is being squeezed the hardest by impending bad weather, Summer is forced to take on the worry of whether her grandparents will lose their jobs, and whether this will result in her parents defaulting on their mortgage and losing the house in Kansas that they all share.
It all makes an earlier event in the story — where Summer is faced with telling the truth in a very uncomfortable situation — look like child's play.
Realizing that THE THING ABOUT LUCK is set in the present time, and there are girls like Summer out there today, wandering the nation's breadbasket with their migrant worker parents or grandparents, makes this an even more powerful read about an America that is a whole different world.
This is going to be a book well-worthy of adoption for sixth grade English curriculums."
Booklist
The Thing about LuckBy Cynthia Kadohata with illustrations by Julia Kuo
(Atheneum; ISBN 9781416918820; June 2013; Summer Catalog).
It seems that if Summer’s Japanese American family didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all. Certainly good luck (kouun) is elusive. Consider that Summer has had malaria; her little brother, Jaz, is friendless; her parents have to fly to Japan to take care of elderly relatives; and her grandmother (Obaachan) and grandfather (Jii-chan) must pay the mortgage by coming out of retirement to work for a custom harvesting company. When the siblings accompany their grandparents on the harvest, Summer helps her grandmother, a cook, while Jaz is Jaz: intense, focused, and bad-tempered. At first, things go reasonably well, but then Jii-chan becomes sick, and it appears that it might be up to Summer to save the day. Will she succeed? Kadohata has written a gentle family story that is unusual in its focus on the mechanics of wheat harvesting. Readers may skim the more arcane aspects of the labor-intensive work, focusing instead on the emotionally rich and often humorous dynamics of Summer’s relationship with her old-fashioned but endearing grandparents and her troubled younger brother. Another engaging novel from the Newbery Medal–winning Kadohata.
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With the blogosphere already starting to buzz, and author appearances and web promotions planned, Kadohata’s already sizable audience will likely increase with this title.
Kirkus Reviews
Twelve-year-old Summer and her Japanese-American family work every harvest season to earn money to pay their mortgage. But this year, they face unprecedented physical and emotional challenges. It has been a particularly hard-luck year. Among other strange occurrences, Summer was bitten by a stray, diseased mosquito and nearly died of malaria, and her grandmother suffers from sudden intense spinal pain. Now her parents must go to Japan to care for elderly relatives. So Summer, her brother and their grandparents must take on the whole burden of working the harvest and coping with one emergency after another. She writes a journal chronicling the frightening and overwhelming events, including endless facts about the mosquitoes she fears, the harvest process and the farm machinery that must be conquered. As the season progresses, her relationships with her grandparents and her brother change and deepen, reflecting her growing maturity. Her grandparents' Japanese culture and perspective are treated lovingly and with gentle humor, as are her brother's eccentricities. Kadohata makes all the right choices in structure and narrative. Summer's voyage of self-discovery engages readers via her narration, her journal entries and diagrams, and even through her assigned book report of A Separate Peace. Readers who peel back the layers of obsessions and fears will find a character who is determined, compassionate and altogether delightful. (Fiction. 10-14)VOYA -
"My mother had four daughters by four different men." Twelve-year-old Shelby has repeated this line so often to explain her unorthodox family that is has become automatic. Although their beautiful and shrewd mother earns a living by charming men into gifting her with expensive jewelry and money, the girls have become accustomed to relying on one another for support. Their bond is unyielding and their loyalty fierce. Then one night, their way of life comes to an abrupt halt when their mother is severely disfigured and injured in a car accident. With her recovery uncertain, the girls are sent across the country to live with their respective fathers and an equally uncertain future. This novel has an intriguing and original plot. Unfortunately its potential is never quite realized. With the exception of narrator Shelby, the lack of depth and exploration into the sisters' experiences and emotions leaves the reader feeling rather bereft. The ending feels contrived, tying up the different story elements in a manner that is almost too neat and tidy. Those searching for a more authentic reading experience would be better satisfied with Kadohata's Newbery-winning Kira-Kira (Atheneum/S & S, 2004/VOYA June 2004). That said, the story has some funny and thought-provoking moments and will particularly appeal to young girls searching for an enjoyable, quick read. Reviewer: Jule WatkinsStephanie McNemar
Shelby Kimura and her three sisters live with a mother who believes that everyone judges you on your beauty alone. Their mother is what they call a sexpot, collecting money, jewelry, and men along the way. The only thing Shelby and her sisters share is their mother. Each is the product of their mother's failed relationships. This commonality is what keeps the girls strong and united. In a sudden turn of events, the girls must learn how to live separately from each other with their fathers when their mother is injured. Cynthia Kadohata portrays the four young girls as strong and smart people who have learned to adapt to situations that they have no control of. The book is a quick and easy read, leaving you feeling good that outside beauty isn't as good as inner beauty. Reviewer: Stephanie McNemarKLIATT -
Shelby is almost 13 years old. She is the third of the four daughters of a beautiful Japanese woman, each by a different husband. They live with none of their fathers and their mother teaches them about beauty and how it has given them all that they need to get by. However, in a cruel instant, their mother is involved in a horrific car crash that destroys her outside beauty and threatens to tear the girls apart. Marilyn, Lakey, Shelby and Maddie are each sent to live with their fathers while their mother recuperates in a Chicago hospital. Shelby is sent to live with a Japanese man in Arkansas who runs a gum company, but young Maddie is sent to live with Mr. Bronson, a rigid man who demands routine and manners. When their mother takes a turn for the worst, they reunite at her hospital bedside and the older girls see the odd changes in their little sister. Once their mother's health returns, they decide to run away together to keep Maddie from having to remain any longer with Mr. Bronson. The story emphasizes the strength of family and relationships; the girls are stronger than they appear and stronger together than any one of them is alone. Keeping track of the families may prove difficult for younger readers, but older readers will appreciate the characters' resilience and determination to stay together. Reviewer: Janis Flint-FergusonSchool Library Journal
Gr 7 Up- Shelby, 13, and her three sisters, ages 16, 8, and 6, have different fathers. They live in early-1980s Chicago with their free-spirited mother, Helen, a striking and beauty-obsessed Japanese bombshell. Helen is a cult of personality unto herself, and the older girls happily care for the younger ones while Mom collects boyfriends. When she is in a disfiguring car accident, the girls separate to live with their fathers. Shelby's dad is a kind, level-headed Japanese greenhorn, while six-year-old Maddie's, an Anglo, is a patronizing, abusive bully. The four girls plot their escape-back to Helen, but really back to one another. The novel is oddly missing pop-culture references, so the '80s setting is perplexing and extraneous. The first chapters of the book are packed with contrived, purposefully madcap shenanigans and creaky, expository dialogue. Once the scene is set, though, Shelby settles into a more natural, thoughtful voice, and the surprisingly gripping plot gains pace and substance. The cloyingly devil-may-care mood of the opening turns mercifully more sober and suspenseful as the girls' troubles deepen. The sisters have distinct, authentic voices, and their conversations are smooth, snappy, and believable. The male characters are well drawn too, especially Shelby's sweet, hilarious father, who gets the best lines in the book. Shelby's running commentary on beauty is smart and poignant, as is her portrayal of a mother she both loves and reviles.-Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library