A Big Dose of Lucky

July 13, 2015
In a compelling genealogical mystery set in 1964 Ontario—one of seven interlinked novels in the Secrets series, publishing simultaneously—mixed-race 16-year-old Malou Gillis embarks on a quest to illuminate her heritage. Spat out into the harsh world after her orphanage burns down, Malou makes her way to the town of Parry Sound, where an old hospital bracelet is her only link to the family that abandoned her. She accidentally lands a job as a cleaner in the medical center and, with her newfound freedom and income, has other firsts like a date with a Mexican orderly, Frankie, who helps her discover that something larger is at play in her past. Malou is braver than she knows, hitting a dead end almost immediately but using the false start to make her first friend. Through this inspiring heroine and characters that include a gay, biracial couple living as sisters-in-law, Jocelyn illuminates racial and social inequality as significant today as it was during the civil rights movement. Poignant and resonant, it’s an important exploration for readers seeking their own identities. Ages 12–up.

Part of the high-interest series Secrets, this audiobook includes support for reluctant readers through narrator Kelly Pruner's clear diction, easy pacing, and decidedly conversational tone. In Canada, 1964, 16-year-old Malou lives in an orphanage. When a fire destroys it, she receives a single clue about her parentage and sets off on her own. The clue brings her to a town with an unusually large number of children of color--a town full of secrets. Mature topics are introduced but handled age-appropriately. Besides delivering the occasional Canadian "eh?", Pruner doesn't attempt to effect Canadian, First Nation, or African-American accents or manners of speech. Listeners will feel Malou could be any contemporary friend. L.T. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine