Lucky Strike

December 8, 2014
Pyron offers a gentler take on survival and friendship than in her gritty novel The Dogs of Winter. Nate Harlow, who has lived in a trailer with his grandfather since his parents’ death, is “the unluckiest boy” in Paradise Beach, Fla. On his 11th birthday, Nate wishes for something lucky to happen that day, and is subsequently struck by lightning—“right out of the clear blue sky”—while playing miniature golf with his friend Gen, who’s an ardent believer in logic and probability. Nate survives just fine, and, suddenly, his luck changes for the better. Moreover, he becomes something of a local hero after it appears that his good fortune is rubbing off on others, and a group of popular kids befriend Nate after he displays his newfound (and inexplicable) baseball skills. Nate’s decision to hang with these kids and desert Gen and their mission to protect nesting turtles brings the themes of luck and friendship to a crest. A dramatic and sweetly poignant story, enlivened by a dash of magical realism. Ages 8–12. Agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Trident Media Group.

Starred review from December 1, 2014
Could it ever be lucky to be struck by lightning?In the case of 11-year-old Nate, the answer is a qualified yes. Thanks to his best friend's quick wits, he isn't killed by a bolt out of the blue, but the lightning miraculously changes his luck from the worst ever to the very best. Suddenly he goes from inept to incredibly skilled on the diamond, which moves him from nerdy outsider to a place among the popular. His luck rubs off on those around him, too. Unfortunately, swept up in his unaccustomed acclaim, he meanly turns his back on Genesis, his smart, analytical and touchingly vulnerable BFF. She's befriended, in turn, by Chum, the ultimate bully target. Nate remorsefully decides the only way he can return to being Gen's best friend is to reverse his lightning strike luck by getting struck again, a terrifying prospect he's nonetheless willing to face. Even lightly sketched characters leap off the pages, adding rich depth to an already satisfying tale. In the slightly fantastical Gulf Coast world that Pyron (The Dogs of Winter, 2012) has imagined, people can change in unexpected ways. With just a spark of magic, bullies can become true friends, those without humor can learn to giggle, and perennial victims can emerge victorious. Amusing, endearing and sometimes even electrifying. (Magical realism. 9-12)

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Starred review from December 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-Wherever Nate Harlow goes, bad luck seems to follow. He has never even won a coin toss, so it comes as no surprise to many residents of Paradise Beach that it is Nate who gets struck by lightning out of the literal blue on his 11th birthday while playing mini-golf with his friend Genesis Beam. What does come as a big surprise is that Nate's luck seems to change drastically after the strike. All of a sudden, he is winning. Everything. Nate has to decide how he is going to handle this change-he is now surrounded by friends and opportunities whereas before it was only him and Genesis sticking together. Will she stay by Nate's side while he finds his feet, and, more importantly, will he support her when she needs it most? This well-told story of growth, friendship, and small-town life hits all the right notes. The quirkiness of the characters and the town never goes too far, and there is an overall cozy feeling to the book. Genesis's dad is the preacher at The Church of the One True Redeemer and Everlasting Light, but she is a scientist through and through, which adds complexity to the text, including musings on destiny, fate, probability, and weather. Fans of Susan Patron's Higher Power of Lucky (S. & S., 2006), Sheila Turnage's Three Times Lucky (Dial, 2012), and Ingrid Law's Savvy (2008; both, Dial) will find something new for their to-read shelves.-Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2015
Grades 3-6 Nate Harlow figures he is the least lucky kid on the planet. He has lost his parents. He has lost his dog. He has called a coin toss and got it wrong 53 times in a row. His best friend, Genesis, eldest daughter of Reverend Beam of the Church of the One True Redeemer and Everlasting Light, doesn't believe in luck, putting her money on the science of probability. But neither can explain it when Nate is struck by a freak flash of lightning on his eleventh birthdayand his luck, and fortunes, change. All of a sudden, everything Nate comes in contact with is charmed, and soon the entire population of Paradise Sands, Florida, is vying for his Midas touch. But this newfound popularity threatens his relationship with Gen. Will he show up when sheand the loggerhead turtles nesting on the beachesreally needs him? Pyron displays a fine sense of the shifting allegiances of tweendom, and while many of the homespun secondary characters read as stock, the tender relationships will nourish readers in search of belonging.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)