Just Lucky

Gr 9 Up–Florence’s latest novel tackles the experience of a teen girl in foster care. Fifteen-year-old Lucky Robinson is being raised by her grandparents. After her grandfather passes, she is left as the sole caretaker of her forgetful grandmother. When a house fire lands Lucky’s grandmother in the hospital, it is discovered that she isn’t well and can no longer have custody of Lucky. Now Lucky finds herself in foster care where some families are good, and others are not. All Lucky wants is to move home with her grandmother, but it doesn’t look like that can happen. Short chapters make the narrative feel choppy in the beginning but the book flows better as it progresses. Lucky’s story, along with those she meets in her various placements, show the many different sides of foster care. In one of the foster homes she finds herself facing a pedophile foster dad, and though no sexual encounters take place between them it is indicated he wanted one to. Lucky is of Algonquin decent, which mainly comes into play when she faces racism among her peers at one of her new schools.