What It Is About: Bad luck seems to be following fourth grader Benny. His best buddy has moved away. He can't seem to get the hang of regular things fourth graders should be able to do, like riding a bicycle, and he isn't impressed with Mr. Norris, his fourth grade teacher, who is supposed to be quite a teacher. After Benny's father has an accident that he blames himself for, Benny feels like the world is out to get him. Nothing is going right at either home and/or school. His biggest encourager is his mother and she promises him that things will get better. He just needs to take life one step at a time. Benny makes it his mission to earn as many "footprints" at school for good deeds and to find out why Mr. Norris isn't measuring up to his reputation.
What I Thought Of It: When I find a novel that I don't know anything about, give it a try, and love it; that makes me quite happy. That is exactly what happened with this book. The character of Benny had me right from the get-go and kept me by his side the entire story. The writing in this book was incredible and spot-on depicting middle-grade characters. The supporting cast both at Benny's home and school, were strong and added greatly to the plot. The story was tender, heart-warming, suspenseful, and thought-provoking. I found myself reading it quickly because I was so interested in finding out what was going to happen. Anytime a male teacher is featured as a character I'm extremely pleased. This will definitely be a story I'll be sharing with my fourth grade class next fall.
Who Should Read It: Just My Luck is the perfect novel for students in grades four, five, and six. The length isn't too long and the arrangement of the writing will be pleasing to these readers. Even though I wouldn't say there was a lot of "action" in the story, I think it will totally keep a reader's interest throughout the whole book. I also think the novel would make for an excellent read aloud in these same grades. Adults who enjoy middle-grade fiction definitely need to get a copy of this book and experience the magic of Benny and his quest for luck! Happy Reading…
Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars
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