The Thing About Luck
Written by Cynthia Kadohata
Narrated by Joy Osmanski
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Summer knows that kouun means “good luck” in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan—right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother, Jaz, are left in the care of their grandparents, who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills.
The thing about Obaachan and Jiichan is that they are old-fashioned and demanding, and between helping Obaachan cook for the workers, covering for her when her back pain worsens, and worrying about her lonely little brother, Summer just barely has time to notice the attentions of their boss’s cute son. But notice she does, and what begins as a welcome distraction from the hard work soon turns into a mess of its own.
Having thoroughly disappointed her grandmother, Summer figures the bad luck must be finished—but then it gets worse. And when that happens, Summer has to figure out how to change it herself, even if it means further displeasing Obaachan. Because it might be the only way to save her family.
Cynthia Kadohata’s ode to the breadbasket of America has received six starred reviews and won the National Book Award.
Editor's Note
National Book Award winner…
This look at rural living (from Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata) won the 2013 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Summer has only bad luck one year when she almost dies of malaria and she has to live with her grandparents while her mom and dad are called back to Japan to take care of other elderly relatives. She holds out hope that her luck will change and chronicles a series of misadventures and misfortunes in her journal.
Cynthia Kadohata
Cynthia Kadohata is the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Kira-Kira, the National Book Award winner The Thing About Luck, the Jane Addams Peace Award and PEN America Award winner Weedflower, Cracker!, Outside Beauty, A Million Shades of Gray, Half a World Away, Checked, A Place to Belong, Saucy, and several critically acclaimed adult novels, including The Floating World. She lives with her dogs and hockey-playing son in California. Visit her online at CynthiaKadohata.com.
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Reviews for The Thing About Luck
17 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A very enjoyable book. I felt very connected to the family and their struggles. It reminded me a little of my childhood. The book was very well written.