Just My Luck

De: Cammie McGovern

Narrado por: Kirby Heyborne

Critically acclaimed author Cammie McGovern's middle grade debut is a powerful and heartwarming story that will appeal to listeners who loved R. J. Palacio's Wonder, Ann M. Martin's Rain Reign, and Holly Sloan's Counting by 7s.

Fourth grade is not going at all how Benny Barrows hoped. He hasn't found a new best friend. He's still not a great bike rider - even though his brother, George, who's autistic, can do tricks. And, worst of all, he worries his dad's recent accident might be all his fault. Benny tries to take his mom's advice and focus on helping others and to take things one step at a time. But when his dad ends up in the hospital again, Benny doesn't know how he and his family will overcome all the bad luck that life seems to have thrown their way.

Just My Luck is a deeply moving and rewarding novel about a down-on-his-luck boy whose caring heart ultimately helps him find the strength to cope with tragedy and realize how much he truly has to offer his friends and family.

©2016 Cammie McGovern (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Perspective

My sons are 8 and 10, they gave the book a thumbs up. “Just My Luck” sparked some great discussion on character and relationships.

So good!

This book is amazing! my 11 year old daughter loves this book. it helps readers understand about people with autism.

First audio book my son has refused after starting

We listen to tons of audio books. This is the first one that my son has outright rejected. He started complaining at less than an hour but hung on for two. (He's 11 yo.) His description is that the book is depressing and the narrator is whiny. He'd absolutely had enough when the protagonist talked about how he would go to the nurse's office to cry. I see his point. The book is unrelentingly depressing in the first two hours. There is no humor, and the audio reader lacks energy and has a rather whiny, tired voice. I (50 yo psychologist) am still interested in the book, but it seems a miss for its intended audience. Other reviews on the written material are wonderful, but my hunch is that the positive reviews are primarily from adults. (It's compared to Wonder & Out of my Mind---and my son loved both of those, just for comparison...)