Chasing Lucky

Gr 7-10–Josie Saint-Martin, a budding photographer, has moved around the country for the last five years with her mother, and she is ready for her next adventure, heading back to their small New England hometown. Josie remembers beautiful memories with her old friend, Lucky, but as she and her mother settle into their old home to support their struggling family-owned bookstore, they realize that the baggage they left behind must be confronted. The heroine of this coming-of-age novel falls short in character development. Josie is likable at first, but proves to be frustratingly passive, allowing her friends and family to control her decision-making through the remainder of the novel. Instead, 17-year-old Lucky, who develops into a beautifully vulnerable character, holds the story together. In the end, Josie doesn’t chase Lucky, as the title suggests, but chases so much more—her own personal growth.