Lucky for Good — Susan Patron

For eleven-year old Lucky, the universe is full of questions. Is that mysterious woman at the cafÉ Miles's mom? Does her father not talk to her because he hates her? Will the Health Department ruin everything? Is she really going to go to hell? The answers are, in no particular order, nearly, no, yes, and a big fat "who knows." But, answers -- like every little thing in the whole universe -- are constantly evolving and sometimes, the biggest questions have no answer at all. The best Lucky can do is never give up on maybe, maybe understanding things a little better before she turns twelve. It will take a punch in the face (not her face), a near cafÉ disaster, a trip to the principal's office -- and both male and female sofas-- but in the end, she'll see that there are loopholes in life and, thankfully, in county health codes!

The Hard Pan trilogy that began with the Newbery-winning The Higher Power of Lucky concludes with Lucky and all of Hard Pan a little wiser and a lot closer to all out hearts. As always, Lucky is brave and foolish, impulsive and tender, vulnerable and determined. Ultimately, Lucky forges her own path: Lucky for Good.