A Whole Lot of Lucky

Starred review from August 1, 2012
Winning the lottery does not turn out as sixth-grader Hailee Richardson had imagined. Yes, she does get the new bicycle and cellphone that were high on her list of needs, but she also gets sent to a different school, prestigious Magnolia Academy. New and nervous, Hailee becomes consumed with Facebook and is targeted by an older risk-taking classmate who threatens to get this previously good kid, who doesn't even swear, into trouble. Soon she's alienated a new friend and said something terrible to an old one. Dramatic and imaginative, Hailee is both quick-witted and quick to justify herself. In her first-person, present-tense narration, she promises to tell readers the truth, and she does, in her lights. But readers will see through this unreliable narrator, recognizing her jealous moments and her social insecurity. They may even be relieved by her father's "intervention," which curbs her cellphone addiction. Hailee's love for the hard-to-control bougainvillea vines and the ever-changing swamp maple outside her Florida window reflect her own issues. Her parents' sensible approach to their newly acquired wealth contrasts nicely with their daughter's exaggerated dreams. Haworth effectively captures the self-consciousness, self-absorption and limited experience of a preteen, and the seductive charms of Facebook friendships for that age. Realistic, modern and still familiar, this is a middle school story both children and their parents should read. (Fiction. 9-12)

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December 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-In this highly enjoyable novel, middle-schooler Hailee Richardson is embarrassed by her garage-sale bicycle, her clothes from Goodwill, and her father's job cleaning carpets. But when her parents win millions in the lottery, her life changes dramatically, and not always for the better. Hailee loves her new cell phone and even reluctantly grows to like her new private school. Her relationship with her longtime best friend becomes strained, however, as Hailee tries to win over her wealthy classmates. She once envied Amanda, who had a beautiful bicycle, but now worries that her old friend will embarrass her. Then Nikki, a girl from her new school, drags Hailee into questionable situations, asking her to ditch school, cheat on a quiz, and even egg another student's house. While Hailee's family enjoys their newfound wealth, the money also brings somewhat predictable problems. Tensions mount toward a moving climax; Hailee learns lessons that will come as no surprise but are satisfying nonetheless. Readers who are not quite ready for the serious problems of more graphic YA novels will enjoy this rather lighthearted story-the "bad girl" is not all that bad, and Hailee triumphs over the "mean girls" while realizing that she has not behaved well herself. This is a solid and pleasurable exploration of friendship, materialism, and how money can change everything.-Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2012
Grades 4-7 Hailee Richardson is on the lower rung of her neighborhood's economic ladder, but things take a turn when her parents win the lottery. Though Hailee sees big houses and a horse in her future, the story plays out more realistically. While three million dollars is a lot of money, it's set up to come in installments over decades, so a new lifestyle isn't in the works, except for one thing. When Hailee learns that her parents are transferring her to the exclusive Magnolia Academy, she tries to fight it, but soon enough she becomes intrigued with what it offers, even as she tries to redefine her relationship with her neighborhood BFF. Haworth does an excellent job of portraying the modern kid's life (cell phones, Facebook) mixed with evergreen problems like trying to fit in with the popular crowd and cheating on tests. She also makes the smart decision to have the lottery win be a plot point that propels the story into places that will interest kids most, rather than its center. The fact that religion plays quietly and comfortably into the narrative is another plus.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)