These Unlucky Stars by Gillian McDunn

How I Heard About It:
*Another middle-grade story I was able to download on an E-Galley and enjoyed reading while on spring break vacation.  I had enjoyed Gillian McDunn's earlier works of fiction so I was looking forward to entering the world of "These Unlucky Stars".


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Annie finds herself different from her practical father and brother.

*She feels she is more like her mother, but her mother isn't around.

*After an innocent game of "Ding-Dong-Ditch", Annie meets an elderly "crabby" woman.

*Annie begins to spend time with Gloria and her dog and begins to come out of the shell she has created for herself.  

*With as much conviction as she has, Annie slowly begins to realize that her "unlucky" streak may be coming to an end.


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
*Above all, this was an enjoyable, pleasing, and heart-felt story.

*I so enjoyed getting to know the character of Annie, and traveling along side of her as she navigated the "unlucky" world to a world with more hope.

*The character of Gloria was everything to the story and made me laugh cry.

*The story was personal to me because my mother suffered from memory issues and I could relate to several scenes throughout the story.  

*The plot pacing was perfect, and I found myself wanting to read just one more chapter.


Who Should Read It:
I could see the novel being used in any third through sixth grade classroom.  If used as a class read aloud, I know many important deep and meaningful conversations would occur.  This will definitely become a staple in my own classroom library.  Happy Reading!


Rating:   5 STARS out of 5 Stars